The Licensing Letter

Entertainment/Character

Licensing Litigation

Hollywood Reporter reports that Disney "narrowly preserved" a win against author Royce Mathew in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals over its Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. The legal battle has been on-and-off for over a decade, but the current controversy centers around a release Mathew signed when he withdrew a 2005 complaint alleging that Disney had used his work. Mathew … [Read more...] about Licensing Litigation

TLL’s Guide to Entertainment/Character-based Properties

Feature films, cartoon characters, and television programs are the basis of the bulk of Entertainment/Character licensing. A few properties, such as Hello Kitty and It’s Happy Bunny, which have no antecedent in any medium (they were created for merchandise), are also included here because they are treated much as “traditional” character licenses (rather than, say, like an art … [Read more...] about TLL’s Guide to Entertainment/Character-based Properties

M&A Shorts

The United States Tennis Association (USTA) and Aramark partner to provide retail merchandise services for the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, home of the US Open. Under the multi-year agreement, Aramark will manage all aspects of the US Open Tennis Championships’ retail sales and merchandising operations throughout the grounds of the National Tennis Center. … [Read more...] about M&A Shorts

M&A Shorts

The United States Tennis Association (USTA) and Aramark partner to provide retail merchandise services for the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, home of the US Open. Under the multi-year agreement, Aramark will manage all aspects of the US Open Tennis Championships’ retail sales and merchandising operations throughout the grounds of the National Tennis Center. … [Read more...] about M&A Shorts

Licensed Nominations Make Up a Quarter of Nominations for Daytime Emmys

This year's list of nominees for the 44th annual Daytime Emmy Awards are out, and 23 TV shows with current licensing programs have a strong showing—snagging one-forth of nominations overall. The winners in top categories will receive their awards on April 30 from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Here are the highlights: DreamWorks leads with 18 … [Read more...] about Licensed Nominations Make Up a Quarter of Nominations for Daytime Emmys

M&A & Legal

Mattel Creations appoints ProjectFirst and Little Dot Studios to manage its AVOD platforms and grow channel subscribers for its brands in Russia and France, respectively. Spin Master sues Chinese manufacturer, Dongguan Moral Region Co. Ltd., for an alleged patent infringement against its Hatchimals toy. MCM Comic Con owner, MCM Central, takes a major stake in children’s … [Read more...] about M&A & Legal

45% of Upcoming Films are Sequels; PG Ratings Reign

This last year marked the highest earning year in movie history at the domestic box office, with $11.4 billion, up 2.1% over 2015, according to ComScore. The biggest grossing film? Disney's Finding Dory at $486 million domestically. Internationally, box office sales reached $27.4 billion. The top grossing title worldwide was Captain America: Civil War with $1.15 billion in … [Read more...] about 45% of Upcoming Films are Sequels; PG Ratings Reign

Paramount, Disney & Masha Expand Attractions

Paramount is bringing a $4.3 billion (£3.5 billion) theme park to Dartford, Kent by 2022. The London Paramount "U.K. version of Disneyland" will feature over 50 attractions, including rides and a 2,000-seat theatre. As well as Paramount properties, the park will boast licensed attractions from BBC Worldwide (possibly including Doctor Who) and Aardman Animations (Shaun the … [Read more...] about Paramount, Disney & Masha Expand Attractions

Collectibles, Preschool Snag Top Toys of the Year

Congrats to the winners of the 17th annual Toy of the Year Awards, hosted by the The Toy Industry Association (TIA). LEGO and Spin Master snagged three awards this year, while Funko and Mattel had two each. The Toy of the Year went to LEGO Friends Amusement Park Roller Coaster from LEGO, while the People’s Choice award went to Pop! from Funko. Seven out of the 14 total … [Read more...] about Collectibles, Preschool Snag Top Toys of the Year