NEWS
TOTAL LICENSING
HASBRO’S TRANSFORMERS AND MY LITTLE PONY LOOK
FORWARD TO 2008
The Tranformers saga has captivated children for more tion-packed Transformers Animated series through toys,
than 20 years. Coming on the heels of the games, licensed merchandise and promotions around the
successful live-action theatrical film which world.
released July 3rd, by DreamWorks Pictures My Little Pony celebrates its 25th Birthday in 2008. Begin-
and Paramount Pictures, Hasbro announced ning in 2008, seven core ponies will take the stage, Pinkie
that the next generation of the epic animated Pie (the leader), Rainbow Dash (the glamour girl), Scootaloo
series is being distributed by Entertainment (the adventurer), Cherilee (the storyteller), Toola-Roola
Rights worldwide (excluding Latin America, (the artist), Sweetie-Belle (the silliest) and Star Song (the
North America and certain Asian territories). performer). The Core cast will be supported across mul-
The 2-D animated series is a new twist on the tiple platforms, including DVD entertainment, website,
original high-octane, animated action-adven- cross-sell, publishing programme and digital games. My Lit-
ture series with new characters alongside old tle Pony currently enjoys over 135 licensees worldwide and
favourites such as Optimus Piptimus and Meg- representation in more than 15 licensed categories with
atron. Each episode will present a standalone over 400 skus manufactured. The brand has had more than
storyline featuring everyday heroes who do US$407M in retail sales since its licensed introduction and
good deeds that triumph over evil. Twenty-six, nearly 1 million books have been sold in Southern Europe
half-hour episodes will be produced as well as since 2005. A successful My Little Pony magazine program
a 70-minute special of Transformers Animated is in place in the UK, France, Italy, Greece and Germany
which is scheduled for release Spring/Summer 2008. and launching soon in Russia and Gemma International is
Hasbro and HPG, its licensing division, will expand the ac- to launch greeting card programme in Europe.
SUPERHERO FLASH GORDON IGNITES ON SCI FI
CHANNEL AS BEST SERIES PREMIERE FOR 2007
Flash Gordon, one of the most famous intergalactic adventurers and superheroes of the 1930s, has made a return in
a modern-day, live-action television series on the SCI FI Channel. The series’ August 10 opener scored with viewers,
delivering the Channel’s best series premiere telecast for 2007. The debut of Flash Gordon was also the top Adult 25-
54 audience for any Friday program on SCI FI in nearly a year.
Through an agreement with property owner King Features Syndicate, RHI Entertainment has completed international
television distribution deals for the new series in two major territories to date: SCI FI Channel in the UK will debut
Flash Gordon in 2008 and the series has been sold to Telemunchen in Germany. RHI plans to showcase
the new series at MIPCOM for television distribution and DVD.
King Features, which distributes the comic strip internationally, continues to expand the domestic and
international licensing portfolio in support of the classic property.
In addition to ongoing reprint programs for the classic comic strips, King Features looks to add on a
number of licensing partners for the character in a wide range of categories, including comic books,
accessories, toys, advertising and promotions, and wireless games. King Features has already secured
domestic licensing deals with Inkworks for trading cards and accessories in the United States and cer-
tain European markets, with Freeze for men’s and boys’ T-shirts, and with Top Heavy for men’s apparel.
Internationally, King Features has new deals in place with Brand Direct to develop an array of tops and
shirts for Myers stores in Australia as well as agreements with Fashion U.K. to create fashion tops and
with TMI Solutions for men’s underwear. Additionally, a global agreement for video games is close to
being finalized.
Currently in production in Vancouver, B.C., the Flash Gordon television series is based on the adventures from the
popular comic strip developed by comic-strip artist Alex Raymond in 1934. The live-action series, produced by Re-
union Pictures, consists of 22 one-hour episodes. The contemporary retelling of the intergalactic exploits of Flash
Gordon features Eric Johnson (Smallville, Legends of the Fall, Texas Rangers) cast in the title role. Many other fan
character favorites, including the evil villain Ming, Flash’s female companion Dale Arden, and scientist, Dr. Hans Zarkov,
are returning to the series.
The series is executive produced by RHI Entertainment’s Robert Halmi, Sr. and Robert Halmi, Jr. (Tin Man, Mitch
Albom’s The Five People You Meet in Heaven, The Ten Commandments), who previously produced SCI FI’s popular
miniseries event, Legend of Earthsea.
In addition to the long-running comic strip and new television series, Flash Gordon has also starred in a live-action
serial, a radio show, novels, comic books, animated cartoons, and even had his own United States postage stamp. Ad-
ditionally, producer Dino de Laurentiis cast veteran actor Max Von Sydow as the evil Ming the Merciless in a 1980
feature-length Flash Gordon movie from Paramount Pictures. The movie remains a cult favorite today.
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