By Allison Watkinson
TLL Reporter
Kidazzle has announced its official launch alongside its appointment as master toy licensee for Lion Forge Entertainment’s upcoming animated series, Iyanu.
Under the multi-year master toy partnership, Kidazzle will be responsible manufacturing and marketing an extensive range of toys inspired by characters and settings from the Iyanu franchise.
The upcoming Iyanu toy collections will include dolls, action figures, accessories, playsets, role-play items and more.
Founded by industry executives Steve Rosenthal, Don Robbins, and Jeff Jones, Kidazzle is a new toy company that will specialize in developing and manufacturing diverse toy lines for children in all age demographics.
In their new roles at Kidazzle, Rosenthal will serve as president and CEO, Robbins has signed on as EVP and Jones has been named SVP for the company’s marketing and consumer product initiatives.
“I’m pleased to join forces with fellow toy industry vets Don Robbins and Jeff Jones to establish Kidazzle,” said Rosenthal. “With over 100 years of collective expertise in the toy and entertainment industry, our team is eager to begin production on new and innovative toy collections, and I can think of no better way to launch than with Iyanu.”
Iyanu is an adaptation of the Dark Horse Comics x YouNeek Studios’ graphic novel series, Iyanu: Child of Wonder by Nigerian creator and producer Roye Okupe.
Inspired by Nigerian culture, music and mythology, Iyanu is an epic superhero series that follows a young orphan girl named Iyanu who lives in the kingdom of Yorubaland.
Slated for distribution on Cartoon Network and Max, Lion Forge Entertainment is serving as both the producer and co-financer for the upcoming animated series.
“We are excited to partner with Kidazzle to be the master toy licensee for Iyanu,” said Lion Forge Entertainment CEO, David Steward II. “This collaboration represents a significant step in bringing the vibrant world of Yorubaland directly to kids through innovative and diverse toy collections. With Kidazzle’s esteemed team of industry veterans at the helm, we are confident that Iyanu will captivate audiences both on-screen and off, inspiring imaginations and fostering creativity.”
Founded in 2019 by David Steward II, Lion Forge Entertainment (LFE) is a Black-owned animation studio that was launched as a platform to amplify authentic stories and diverse creators in the family-friendly entertainment sector.
With a broad slate of live-action and animated projects in development, Lion Forge recently formed its own distribution entity to handle both foreign sales and third-party projects, as well as an in-house franchising and consumer products division.
“We are happy to partner with Lion Forge to bring Iyanu to life through a diverse line of toys and are looking forward to providing the industry with a sneak peek at the Licensing Expo this month,” said Rosenthal.
The multi-year partnership between the two companies was brokered by All American Licensing on behalf of Kidazzle and Activist Artists Management for Lion’s Forge Entertainment.