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StoryToys launches LEGO DUPLO
MARVEL app for preschoolers The LEGO Group and Marvel Entertainment have teamed up with the award-winning app creator StoryToys to launch LEGO DUPLO MARVEL: a mobile app for preschoolers. The app aims to combine the learning benefits of LEGO DUPLO with the fun and adventure of Marvel. It’s aligned with the Headstart Early Learning Outcomes Framework, to ensure it meets the developmental needs of two- to five-year-olds. Each play pack features fun challenges to support learning and skills including early maths, creativity, reasoning, and problem-solving. Marvel fans can engage with their favourite superheroes including Spider-Man, Captain America, Ghost-Spider and more. In each activity, children help superheroes save the day, from shooting webs with SpiderMan to rescuing a cat with Captain America. Kids can also create and build structures with virtual 3D LEGO DUPLO bricks. Each activity is described as an open-ended play experience for endless fun. With more than one million pre-orders globally, the app is available from the App Store and Google Play in 25 languages, with more to come later this year. It’s free to download with additional content available to purchase.
E.T. comes home E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial - the beloved film from Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment celebrates its 40th anniversary in June and the milestone will be marked with a curated mix of special screenings, new consumer products, and digital and social media campaigns - as well as retail activations that capture the appeal of this classic movie. Warranted for a big screen anniversary of this stature, Universal Brand Development has lined up a roster of global licensees. Mattel has signed on to create E.T. feature plush that brings the character to life. Additional new global partnerships include Funko & Fisher Price (collectables), WOW Stuff (novelty), Basic Fun! (retro collections) and Ravensburger (puzzles). UK-specific partnerships have also been forged with Posh Paws (plush), RMS (amusement toys) and Nobel (chess). In addition, one of the most creative extensions to mark the anniversary is a replica of Elliot’s iconic BMX bike, that will hit mass retail later in the year.
Wildbrain and iQIYI greenlight Jonny Jetboy
Novel Entertainment speeds into partnership with P2 Games Novel Entertainment has partnered with P2 Games to develop and launch a racing game for its Horrid Henry brand. Targeting kids aged six-plus and families, Horrid Henry’s Krazy Karts is available exclusively from the Nintendo eShop on Nintendo Switch worldwide. Based on Novel Entertainment’s hit TV series Horrid Henry, the game will give players the chance to race as Horrid Henry, or go head-tohead with him as Rude Ralph, Moody Margaret, Perfect Peter, Brainy Brian or Singing Soraya, gaining cups and upgrades to become the ultimate ‘Horrid Hero’. The game features 40 levels set across four themed locations: Gross World, Ashton Town, Ashton Primary and the Park. During the races, players control their racing karts to swoop over jumps and dodge obstacles, farts, goo and slime. 14
Jonny Jetboy, a brand-new original animation series from Keith Chapman (pictured), creator of smash hits Paw Patrol and Bob the Builder, is set to be produced by iQIYI in collaboration with WildBrain. iQIYI is an online entertainment service in China, and WildBrain will act as supervisor on the show’s development and production, as well as handling its global distribution and licensing business outside Greater China. The action-packed show follows the adventures of 10-year-old Jonny, the youngest member of the hero family, who are secretly the ‘superteam’ known as JetForce. The 40 x 11’ series is targeted at kids aged four to seven and is slated for release in 2023. Keith said: “I’m thrilled to be working with the talented teams at iQIYI and WildBrain to build Jonny Jetboy into a global super-brand.’’
Xilam Animation
hits milestone Academy Award-nominated French animation studio Xilam Animation has reached significant milestones in its global digital content strategy, including debuting on Samsung TV Plus, and securing a YouTube Diamond Play Button. Now Xilam has been awarded a Diamond Play Button for its Oggy and the Cockroaches YouTube Channel, which has 10 million subscribers. This marks Xilam’s second Diamond Play Button after its Zig and Sharko channel received the award in 2020. Also on YouTube, Xilam has reached the 50 million subscriber mark across its network of dedicated brand channels. Across all digital platforms worldwide, Xilam cumulated 12.5 billion views for its content in 2021. Of this total, 1.5 billion views were generated from Facebook Watch, making Xilam the number one provider of kids’ content worldwide in terms of views on the VOD (Video on Demand) service.
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