The Licensing Letter

Disney

Kartoon Studios Launching Its Own Winnie-The-Pooh Franchise

By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief Move over Disney; the animation house Kartoon Studios is launching its own franchise for the A.A. Milne classic Winnie-The-Pooh. Today, the global studio announced new funding and critical new hires for the franchise, saying licensing and consumer products will be a major aspect of the program. The rights to the Winnie-The-Pooh … [Read more...] about Kartoon Studios Launching Its Own Winnie-The-Pooh Franchise

Cryptoys Launches Licensed Star Wars Volume III NFT Collection

By Allison Watkinson TLL Reporter The Cryptoys NFT company and Lucasfilm, Ltd. have announced a licensed collection of digital toys called Star Wars Volume III. Designed to coincide with this year's Star Wars Day celebration, the new Cryptoys NFT collection will include licensed characters, accessories and a wide range of stylized digital collectibles inspired by the global … [Read more...] about Cryptoys Launches Licensed Star Wars Volume III NFT Collection

Nat Geo Tags Paul Rudd To Narrate Secrets of the Octopus

By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief It may well be due to the fact Nat Geo is now owned by Disney, but whatever the reason, the channel dedicated to science and exploration has certainly attracted a lot of A-listers to partner on their programs. Past documentaries have featured a star-studded line-up of narrators, including Angela Bassett for QUEENS, an upcoming series on … [Read more...] about Nat Geo Tags Paul Rudd To Narrate Secrets of the Octopus

Disney Reportedly Looking at 10B Sale of Its Assets in India

By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief The Walt Disney Company is close to a deal to sell its operations in India to its biggest rival Reliance Industries. Disney values its India assets, which includes the Disney+ Hotstar streaming service, at around $10 billion. The company has been looking at ways to trim costs after dealing with the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, and a … [Read more...] about Disney Reportedly Looking at 10B Sale of Its Assets in India

Opinion: Box Office is Back, But Blockbusters Are Not

By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief This has been the year of the Big Flop, as multiple Hollywood 'tentpole' blockbusters have failed to break even at the box office. That's led some—including yours truly—to fear the end of the cinema experience is near, but there's another explanation that actually makes more sense. When you actually look at the data for overall box office … [Read more...] about Opinion: Box Office is Back, But Blockbusters Are Not

Feature: Iger Promises Major Change as Disney Contract Extended

By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief The Walt Disney Company has extended CEO Bob Iger’s contract by two years, to the end of 2026. The 72-year-old Iger originally said he would only come back to the role for a maximum of two years. However, Iger has said there are issues to deal with at Disney that will take longer to address.  “I think what I’m saying is it’s time,” … [Read more...] about Feature: Iger Promises Major Change as Disney Contract Extended

Pandora and Disney Collaborate On Jewelry Collection For The Little Mermaid

By Allison WatkinsonTLL ReporterPandora has launched a licensed jewelry collection based on Disney's live-action film, The Little Mermaid. Pandora is a global jewelry brand that specializes in creating hand-finished jewelry using high-quality materials. Each piece for the co-branded collection features Pandora's signature solid sterling silver or 14K gold plating style with … [Read more...] about Pandora and Disney Collaborate On Jewelry Collection For The Little Mermaid

Move Over Disney: Baboon and IQI Producing Winnie the Pooh Film and Series

By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief It's been a long wait, but studios can now produce content based on the A.A. Milne book Winnie the Pooh. That's because the book finally entered the public domain in January, after 95 years, ending Disney's ownership of the brand. As a result, Baboon Animation and IQI Media are now able to produce what they're calling a prequel film, as … [Read more...] about Move Over Disney: Baboon and IQI Producing Winnie the Pooh Film and Series

SVOD Licensing: Hundreds of Titles Removed From Disney+ Lineup

By Gary Symons TLL Editor in Chief The Walt Disney Company has gone through a massive wave of changes over the last few years, but one thing that has been barely noticed is that the company's Disney+ service has removed hundreds of titles from its lineup. The changes at Disney started with the hiring of Bob Chapek, who had. the misfortune to guide the company just as the … [Read more...] about SVOD Licensing: Hundreds of Titles Removed From Disney+ Lineup

Who’s News: Kristen Finney to Manage International Content for Disney+

Disney has promoted Kristen Finney as part of a global strategy to improve content creation for Disney+ in international markets. Finney is to take on the newly created role of Executive VP of Content Creation. Prior to the reassignment, Finney was the executive VP for content distribution strategy and development within Disney’s direct-to-consumer division on the platform … [Read more...] about Who’s News: Kristen Finney to Manage International Content for Disney+