By: Karina Masolova, with additional research by Susan Adams and Michelle Odinyayeva. Contact the Editor at karina@plainlanguagemedia.com. TLL identified 213 upcoming films through 2025 as potential source material for licensed consumer products. Comic book-based properties lead the count, with 39% of films on the list, followed closely by original works (37%). Rounding off the … [Read more...] about Comic-based, Original Films Lead Films With Licensing Potential
Toys and Games
37 Entertainment/Character Brands Earned Over $100 MM in the U.S./Canada
Karina Masolova, karina@plainlanguagemedia.com This year, a total of 37 properties made TLL’s annual list of entertainment/character brands that generated over $100 million in licensed retail sales in the U.S./Canada for 2017. Last year, TLL tracked 46 brands that qualified for the list based on 2016 sales. And the year before that, 44 brands made the list based on estimated … [Read more...] about 37 Entertainment/Character Brands Earned Over $100 MM in the U.S./Canada
M&A: Publishing Has a New Face
Publisher Watch: News Shake-Ups Hearst’s King Syndicate Feature and Emerging Tech divisions launch the conglomerate’s first AI-voice enabled entertainment for Amazon Alexa. Trivia Treat is meant to offer a challenging and fun daily gameplay experience for players around the world with games and puzzles. The NYT is stepping up its content licensing game with the re-branding and … [Read more...] about M&A: Publishing Has a New Face
Consumer Research: Affluents, Students & More
By Karina Masolova, karina@plainlanguagemedia.com. Along with Gen Z, Millennial spending power will account for 45% of the global personal luxury goods market by 2025, according to a recent study by Bain & Company. The global toy market is forecast to hit $139 billion by 2025, according to the market research firm Coherent Market Insights. Its latest report forecasts that … [Read more...] about Consumer Research: Affluents, Students & More
Mobile & More Content Licensing
Universal partners with mobile-game developer Ludia for AR mobile game app, Jurassic World Alive. Players collect, discover, and create a variety of dinosaurs while exploring their own neighborhoods and cities around the world. Starting June 6 through July 31, select Walmart and AMC locations will allow players to collect branded supply drops and resources. Hasbro parters with … [Read more...] about Mobile & More Content Licensing
State of Toys & Games
Hasbro snaps up all intellectual property, category rights, and content libraries owned by Saban Properties and its affiliates for $522 million—including entertainment brands Power Rangers, My Pet Monster, Popples, Julius Jr., Luna Petunia, Treehouse Detectives, and certain others. The offer is subject to a number of closing conditions, including obtaining required regulatory … [Read more...] about State of Toys & Games
M&A & Bankruptcy
Nine West Holdings files for bankruptcy, listing debts of approximately $1.5 million. The apparel, jewelry, and jeanswear company is planning sell its flagship brand, Nine West, to Authentic Brands Group. It will also sell its Bandolino brand and reorganize around other businesses, including the Anne Klein name. MGA Entertainment CEO Isaac Larian makes his move, submitting a … [Read more...] about M&A & Bankruptcy
Death of a Salesman
It's official: Toys 'R' Us is winding down its U.S. operations with an eye towards liquidating its inventory and 800 locations. Be forewarned, however, that TRU's swan song is just the opening act for a great retail tragedy set to unfold over the next 10 years. Internationally, the retailer is actively pursuing a reorganization and a sale process for its Canadian stores as … [Read more...] about Death of a Salesman
Black Panther Gearing Up to Take $250 Million in 2018
It's not carrying quite the same level of earning potential of Disney's last breakout film, Frozen, but Marvel's Black Panther is one of the few properties set to carry the 2018 merchandising narrative. A box office wunderkind, the film is expected to break the $1 billion mark at the global box office any day now. And, unsurprisingly, consumer demand for the property is strong … [Read more...] about Black Panther Gearing Up to Take $250 Million in 2018
M&A: Toys & Entertainment Edition
Ubisoft acquires 1492 Studio, a French video game development house specializing in free-to-play episodic and interactive stories on mobile. eOne buys out the remaining 49% stake in The Mark Gordon Co. that it didn't already own in a deal worth $209 million. As part of the deal, founder Mark Gordon joins eOne as Chief Content Officer. Spin Master acquires plush manufacturer … [Read more...] about M&A: Toys & Entertainment Edition