By Gary Symons
TLL Editor in Chief
The Wingfeather Saga, the largest crowd-funded animated series of all time, will be repped by Licensing Works! at Licensing Expo.
In addition, Licensing Works! will also be representing several timeless brands that have been licensing stalwarts over the decades.
Those brands include Le Petit Prince/The Little Prince and Antoine de Saint-Exupéry from the Antoine de Saint- Exupéry Estate; The Little Prince and Friends from Mediawan Kids & Family and La Succession Saint Exupéry Estate; Zorro from Zorro Productions, Inc.; Fun With Spot from The Eric and Gillian Hill Family Trust / Salspot Ltd.; Winchester Mystery House from WMH, LLC; Moulin Rouge from Moulin Rouge S.A.; Tarzan and Jane and Tarzanimals from Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc.; Puppy In My Pocket from MEG; Kewpie from Kewpie Corporation, Inc.; and The Valentines from Millimages.
While Licensing Works! represents properties both old and new, it is known in the industry for its success in working with classic brands in innovative ways.
This year, however, the new brand on the block is The Wingfeather Saga, from Angel Studios and Shining Isle Productions, a CG animated fantasy series, adapted from the best-selling YA novels published by Penguin Random House, with over 1 million copies sold in the US alone.
What makes The Wingfeather Saga unique is its built-in fan base. When the producers raised funds to produce the new series, news that they were making a series from the popular YA novel series turned the campaign into the number one crowd-funded equity raise of all time for an animated family series. As a result, The Wingfeather Saga series is now available on the Angel Studios app, Google Play, Prime Video and Apple TV. The series targets children 8–12, with family co-viewing, and it appears to be a major hit in the making, as the series scores 99% on Rotten Tomatoes.
In addition to the new series, Licensing Works! says Zorro is supported with new entertainment, and it will feature the new Zorro series, which debuted in the US Top 10 on Amazon Prime Video.
In addition, the new Paramount+ (International) 8-episode series written, produced, and starring Academy Award-winning actor Jean Dujardin will be discussed along with the new Disney+ remake of its classic Zorro TV series, starring Wilmer Valderrama, and written by Bryan Cogman (Game of Thrones & Lord of the Rings). Sony has several feature films slated and new comics and merchandise are launching.
Tarzan & Aristocrat are introducing new land-based slots for casinos in 2024–25, as the classic series of novels continues to attract readers and viewers alike. Amazingly, the Legend of Tarzan, a $356 million film from Warner Bros. released in 2016, was the 2nd most watched film on Netflix for the week of Jan. 15–21, 2024 with 14,400,000 hours viewed and 7,900,000 views. It maintained a #6 ranking the following week with an additional 7,600,000 hours viewed and 4,100,000 views.
The Little Prince, as one of the most successful children’s novellas of all time, sees continued success of the classic book, with over 5 million new copies sold annually. Enjoying a fanbase from gift-givers and grandparents to new mothers and teens, The Little Prince reaches an audience of 500 million readers drawn to the global values of humanity, environmental stewardship, the specialness of childhood and friendship.
There’s also a major push for Moulin Rouge, the Parisien night club that is celebrating 135 Years in 2024. The 10x Tony Award-winning musical based on the Baz Luhrman film continues to thrive on Broadway and resonate with audiences five years after its debut, in addition to touring the US more than 20 years after the film’s release.
Speaking of anniversaries, Kewpie is celebrating 115 years of cuteness. New apparel, collectible, and retail collections are launching throughout 2024 and 2025, Licensing Works! says.
Licensing Works! and Penguin Ventures renewed their relationship representing Eric Hill’s best-selling book series Fun with Spot. The signature title for the classic easy reader ‘Where’s Spot?’, is the first-ever lift-the-flap book and is available everywhere books are sold. Penguin Random House has new titles launching each year, with more than 65MM books sold worldwide. Fun With Spot also has all new animation in development from Guru Studios.
Finally, there’s one more major anniversary to announce. Coming off the successful 100th Anniversary Celebration of Winchester Mystery House, Licensing Works! says the next 100 years are underway with new merchandise being introduced throughout 2024, and with new entertainment productions in development.
Anyone interested in licensing opportunities can meet with Licensing Works! at the upcoming Licensing Expo, at Booth C222. For more information, please visit: www.licensingworks.us.
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