Ahead of the Licensing Expo 2015, Warner Bros. Consumer Products has announced their full line-up of what they will be showing at the event, ranging from their DC Comics-based films to their planned “Harry Potter” spin-off. You can read the full press release below and check back here next week for exclusive photos from the event!
With a powerhouse portfolio of entertainment properties—anchored by a theatrical slate of tentpole films, a fan-driven TV portfolio, global initiatives with immersive worlds, all-new animated content developed for younger fans, and a diverse lineup of pop-classic favorites—Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP) soars into Licensing Expo 2015 with an unrivaled lineup of content support and partners that will drive its licensing, merchandising and retail business in 2016 and beyond.
“WBCP arrives at Licensing Expo with an unmatched portfolio of content and product offerings, led by the most anticipated feature film events of 2016—DC Comics’ Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the first time fans will see Batman and Superman together in a theatrical event; DC Comics’ Suicide Squad, the first-ever theatrical team up of some of the most iconic Super-Villains; and from J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” said Brad Globe, President of Warner Bros. Consumer Products. “Content is the cornerstone of our robust programs, and we have an unparalleled lineup of collaborations and partnerships, which is a testament to the trusted relationships we have built with all of our licensing and retail partners.”
Batman and Superman – First Time Ever Together in a Theatrical Event!
For the first time ever, fans will see Batman and Superman together in the theatrical event of the year in Warner Bros. Pictures’ Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and WBCP stands tall at Licensing Expo with a powerhouse roster of global partners to support as Batman and Superman fly into theaters on March 25, 2016. WBCP promises to deliver on fan anticipation and licensing opportunities as this heroic theatrical event continues to build momentum through its licensing and merchandising programs around the world. At the same time, the tentpole film will help drive the Batman and Superman franchises to new heights, offering licensees and retailers new opportunities to reach fans of all ages.
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will be supported by an impressive list of licensees, including global toy partner, Mattel, with a wide range toy line, including action figures, role-play, playsets and collectible figures, highlighted by the fan-favorite Movie Masters line. Also supporting Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will be The LEGO Group, global construction partner; Rubie’s Costume Co. with a wide range of costume products based on the entire DC Comics portfolio, including Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice; and Thinkway Toys for role play items. Additionally, apparel and accessories collections from Junkfood and Bioworld, and footwear from Converse, with a graphically unique inspired line for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice; among many others will support the film.
DC Comics’ Super-Villains Team Up for First Time in Theatrical Film:
As the power of Warner Bros. Pictures’ and DC Entertainment’s film portfolio shows its strength, WBCP will also offer a targeted licensing and merchandising program focusing on collectors and adult fans in support of Suicide Squad, the first film to feature many of DC Comics’ iconic Super-Villains as a team, including Deadshot, Harley Quinn, Killer Croc, Boomerang, Katana and The Joker, as the second theatrical release from the Studio’s DC Comics film slate rolls out.
From J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World:
The wizarding world continues to delight audiences with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, J.K. Rowling’s screenwriting debut, which marks an expanded creative partnership between Warner Bros. Entertainment and J.K. Rowling, and which will be fully supported by WBCP to offer fans an exciting licensing and merchandising program. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the first in a new film series from J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, is inspired by Hogwarts textbook Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and the adventures of the book’s fictitious author, Newt Scamander.
“We are incredibly excited to further explore and dig deeper into our already strong portfolio with an eye towards content creation, allowing us to offer initiatives for girls, boys and preschoolers on a global scale,” said Karen McTier, Executive Vice President, Warner Bros. Consumer Products. “With programs like DC Super Hero Girls, Batman Unlimited, DC Super Friends and more, WBCP is creating new content and building impactful activations with partners around the world.”
DC Super Hero Girls Empowers Girls to True Potential:
In a revolutionary partnership, WBCP, DC Entertainment (DCE), Warner Bros. Animation (WBA) and Mattel have joined forces to launch the DC Super Hero Girls franchise, an exciting new universe of Super Heroic storytelling that will help build character and confidence, and empower girls to discover their true potential. Developed for girls aged 6-12, DC Super Hero Girls stars the female Super Heroes and Super-Villains of DC Comics during their formative years.
DC Super Hero Girls will take the girls space by storm when it launches this fall as it plays out across multiple entertainment content platforms and product categories to create an immersive world. Featuring a completely new artistic style and aesthetic, this unprecedented initiative will include digital content and TV specials, while made-for-videos, publishing, toys, apparel and other products will begin to roll out in 2016, providing opportunities for girls to interact with characters, learn about the storylines, and engage in customizable play.
The LEGO Group will also be key to building the DC Super Hero Girls franchise, leveraging their experience and success engaging girls in creative construction play to bolster this universe through an array of LEGO building sets designed to inspire girls’ imaginations.
The Random House Books for Young Readers imprint of Random House Children’s Books has been appointed the master publishing partner for the franchise and offers a portfolio of books that will bring the DC Super Hero Girls world to life. Global partner Rubie’s Costumes will also offer a wide range of costumes based on the various characters. Additionally, consumer products partners around the world will be engaged in creating a merchandise line dedicated to DC Super Hero Girls across all key categories.
All-New Adventures with Batman Unlimited and DC Super Friends:
As the DC Comics universe expands, WBCP, DCE and WBA offer boys and preschoolers all-new content inspired by two of the company’s most successful toy lines developed in partnership with Mattel and Fisher-Price: Batman Unlimited and DC Super Friends, respectively. Bringing dimension to the action figures and playsets available in toy aisles globally, each program will engage millions of young fans around the world like never before.
Batman Unlimited debuted content in May as a made-for-video animated movie entitled Batman Unlimited: Animal Instincts from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, with the sequel Batman Unlimited: Monstery Mayhem set to release in the second half of 2015. Adding to the new Batman Unlimited content, Warner Bros. has started to roll out the 22 stand-alone, two-minute shorts featuring additional story elements along with companion apps designed for young fans to extend and customize their experience in a new interactive way. Rubie’s Costumes will support the new original content with a line of inspired-by dress-up and costumes, and toymaker Thinkway will introduce new Batman Unlimited-themed role-play accessories. Batman Unlimited will have products in other key categories, such as apparel and publishing, to be announced at a later time.
DC Super Friends content, inspired by the Fisher-Price Imaginext toy line, also introduces a series of shorts. Exciting new playset environments from the successful product line are featured in the shorts, such as The Joker Laff Factory as well as a new design of the fan-favorite Batcave, all featuring the interactive Imaginext Power Pad that enables kids to activate key features in the toy. Publishing partner Random House Children’s Books will also continue to extend storytelling by publishing new titles. Additional licensees in other key categories and will be announced in the coming months
DC TV Portfolio Takes New Heights:
Additionally, WBCP will highlight its rich primetime TV licensing portfolio based on DC Entertainment’s pantheon of characters across DC Comics and Vertigo. From Warner Bros. Television (WBTV) and DCE, new DC Comics–based series “Supergirl” and “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow,” and returning hits “Arrow,” “The Flash” and “Gotham,” along with Vertigo-based new series “Lucifer” and returning series “iZOMBIE,” will continue to inspire an array of new products from licensing partners in every category as WBCP brings fans closer to their favorite WBTV hits.
Zoinks! Scooby-Doo is Building Excitement:
Everyone’s favorite canine, Scooby-Doo, is building more excitement at retail with licensing support from The LEGO Group, bringing Scooby-Doo, Shaggy and the Gang to life in LEGO form for the first time ever, in five all-new building sets and in never-before-seen animated content, featuring the zaniness of the classic characters in true LEGO form. Later this year, fans can look forward to a 22-minute LEGO special, featuring Scooby-Doo, and produced in partnership with WBA. In addition, WBA will also be producing made-for-video movie titles, which will be released by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment in the coming years.
Scooby-Doo and the Gang are rollin’ up in the Mystery Machine for the upcoming new animated comedy Be Cool Scooby-Doo! as WBCP will continue to offer licensing opportunities for the Scooby-Doo brand and groovy opportunities to new and returning partners, including global master toy licensee Character Group, Kellogg, General Mills, Rubie’s Costumes, Scholastic and Hallmark, among others.
Classic Animated Favorites Just Keep Getting Better:
Beloved classic animation properties such as Looney Tunes will continue to drive new trends with hot new partnerships, such as the return of the fan-favorite collaboration, Hare Jordan, to high-end fashion collections including haute couture apparel and accessories with globally renowned label Moschino, by designer Jeremy Scott; and Tom and Jerry with PUMA. Also as part of WBCP’s classic animation offerings comes Wabbit – A Looney Tunes Production and The Tom and Jerry Show, from WBA, with all being supported by top-tier licensees.
TV Properties Continue to Win Over Audiences:
Network television’s most-watched comedy among Adults 18–49 and #1 entertainment series among Total Viewers, WBTV’s “The Big Bang Theory” continues to draw support from licensing partners with new product leading into this year’s Licensing Expo, including fan-favorites Ripple Junction, Funko, Bioworld, USAopoly, Hallmark and Bif Bang Pow!, among many others. WBCP is also excited to work with The LEGO Group to indulge The Big Bang Theory fans’ inner genius and bring them the LEGO version of Leonard and Sheldon’s living room as seen in the hit series. Created by two LEGO fan designers and selected by LEGO Ideas members, this limited edition set features minifigures of all seven main characters from the show—Leonard, Sheldon, Penny, Howard, Raj, Amy and Bernadette—with assorted accessory elements and authentic detail.
WBCP will also continue to highlight its current and classic hit television properties such as Warner Bros. Television’s “Supernatural” and “The Vampire Diaries,” as well as Warner Horizon Television’s “Pretty Little Liars” and “The Voice,” in addition to perennial hits such as Friends, Seinfeld, and many more with continued cross-category support at retail as part of its television licensing entertainment portfolio. Adding to the diverse licensing show lineup, WBCP will also introduce the summer event game show 500 Questions and the new 2015-2016 season series, including “Rush Hour,” “Blindspot,” “Containment” and “Heads Up!”
WBCP Offers Immersive Experiences For Young Fans:
WBCP and DCE have teamed up to launch all-new online entertainment destinations for kids, ScoobyDoo.com, LooneyTunes.com and DCKids.com, engaging young fans with their favorite Warner Bros. characters and DC Comics Super Heroes in immersive experiences, featuring original content. In addition, these websites feature components such as videos, downloadable activities, games, quizzes and contests, offering kids the opportunity to stay connected to these dynamic and immersive worlds 24/7. An international market roll-out in Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Portugal, Russia, Spain and the UK is planned for the coming months.
Video Games Bring Worlds to Life:
WBCP is excited to offer enthusiasts many of their favorite collectibles, apparel and more, in niche licensing programs that allow them to show-off their fandom and support for some of the most popular video games in the industry. This year, WBCP offers licensing opportunities for the upcoming LEGO Dimensions game as WBCP, on behalf of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (WBIE), partners with The LEGO Group for a game-inspired product line to bring fans of all ages many of their favorite characters and worlds, including DC Comics Super Heroes, The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and The Hobbit Trilogy, The Wizard of Oz and Scooby-Doo, among many others. Additional video game offerings include the much-anticipated Batman: Arkham Knight game, from WBIE and Rocksteady Studios, releasing on June 23; and Mortal Kombat X, from WBIE and NetherRealm Studios, already a hit among fans.
Worldwide Reach of Global Themed Entertainment:
Warner Bros.’ global themed entertainment offerings continue to expand worldwide bringing the Warner Bros. experience to theme parks, international cultural venues, live stages and more. In July of 2014, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter expanded globally, opening at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka, and domestically with the opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley, the highly anticipated expansion at Universal Orlando Resort, creating the world’s first centrally themed, multi-park experience and expanding The Wizarding World of Harry Potter across both Universal Orlando theme parks. Additionally, the countdown has begun for the Spring 2016 opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Harry Potter: The Exhibition, currently in Paris and with more stops planned for 2015 and beyond, continues to bring the Harry Potter experience to fans with a state-of-the-art interactive, travelling exhibition featuring thousands of props, costumes and magical creatures from the Warner Bros. films based on J.K. Rowling’s beloved book series.
WBCP also currently manages a successful theme park portfolio with partners around the world, including Warner Bros.-inspired theme parks in Australia and Spain, Six Flags theme parks throughout North America, and Hopi Hari in Brazil, all immersing fans in the world of DC Comics Super Heroes, Looney Tunes characters and more.
Located at Booth #N139, WBCP is one of the largest exhibitors at this year’s show.
In 2013, Tom Hiddleston ruled the stage in a performance as bad guy Loki. He pretended to take over Comic-Con and exhorted the crowd to obediently chant his name (apparently easily conquered, they did). He got around to introducing Thor 2 footage, and then surprise Guardians footage was revealed, which gave the first indication this wasn’t some Feige folly and there was a worthy movie in there. Last year was comparatively low-key, with Feige showing Ant-Man footage but disappointing the crowd that expected news on Doctor Strange. Talks had hit the rocks with Joaquin Phoenix, and it took awhile for Benedict Cumberbatch to surface.
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