TORONTO, October 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --
Celebrating its 10 year anniversary, "BAKUGAN" will air an all
new series on Cartoon Network
Spin Master Ltd. (TSX:
TOY) (http://www.spinmaster.com), TMS Entertainment Co.,
Ltd., and Nelvana Ltd., have announced an agreement in
principle to relaunch the global hit "BAKUGAN". Set to debut on the
10 year anniversary of the original series, the coordinated project
also includes the development of toys, toy-linked TV animation and
the formation of a joint production committee.
"BAKUGAN" originally launched in 2008 and quickly captured the
imagination of children around the world. "BAKUGAN" became a
global franchise, delivering multiple years of television
content. "BAKUGAN" was named Toy of the Year and License
Property of the Year in 2009.
The new series, "BAKUGAN Battle Planet", will air on Cartoon
Network in the US, Europe,
Middle East & Africa, Latin
America, Australia and
New Zealand, and Teletoon in
Canada. The animated series
follows the adventures of Dan and his best friends, the first kids
on Earth to bond with the mysterious alien creatures known as the
Bakugan. With storylines themed around friendship, battling
and competition combined with a new integrated toy line, "BAKUGAN
Battle Planet" is anticipated to be one of the biggest and most
dynamic franchises yet. In addition to the television series,
additional short form content will be available online.
"BAKUGAN is a global legacy brand that aided in the evolution of
Spin Master's approach to entertainment and franchise development,"
said Ronnen Harary, Co-Founder,
Chairman and Co-CEO. "We are excited to be working with our global
partners to relaunch BAKUGAN, bringing innovation, excitement and
battling fun to children all over the world."
The BAKUGAN Battle Planet toy line will retain the essence of
what made the original toys so popular, with exciting new features
that bring revolutionary card and app play. Innovative, all-new
marble-like balls with ingenious technology instantly transform
into multiple collectible characters when rolled over a magnetic
card. The game will bring different levels of play, from beginner
to advanced, and allow players to compete against multiple
opponents. This will offer enhanced collectability due to its wide
range of strategy options.
The toy line will be available in North
America and other select markets in Q1, 2019 and
will be rolled out globally beginning Q2
2019. The animated series
will premiere in North America in December 2018, and Latin America and EMEA in 2019.
The Bakugan licensing program, led by Cartoon Network
Enterprises in all territories except Asia, will also be available at retail in
2019. In Asia, Takaratomy will launch
the toy line in Japan
and TMS will manage distribution of the toy,
animated series and related licensing program.
For more information please
visit http://www.bakugan.com.
ABOUT SPIN MASTER
Spin Master (TSX: TOY) http://www.spinmaster.com is a
leading global children's entertainment company that creates,
designs, manufactures, licenses and markets a diversified portfolio
of innovative toys, games, products and entertainment properties.
Spin Master is best known for award-winning brands including
Zoomer®, Bakugan®, Erector® by Meccano®, Hatchimals®, Air Hogs® and
PAW Patrol®. Since 2000, Spin Master has received 96 TIA Toy of The
Year (TOTY) nominations with 28 wins across a variety of product
categories, including 13 TOTY nominations for Innovative Toy of the
Year, more than any of its competitors. To date, Spin Master has
produced six television series, including 2007 success Bakugan
Battle Brawlers and current hit PAW Patrol, which is broadcast in
over 160 countries and territories globally. Spin Master has 28
offices and employs over 1,700 people globally in Canada, United
States, Mexico,
France, Italy, United
Kingdom, Russia,
Slovakia, Poland, Germany, Sweden, the
Netherlands, China,
Hong Kong, Japan, Vietnam and Australia.
ABOUT TMS
TMS Entertainment Co., Ltd. (better known as TMS) is one of the
world's largest and most distinguished animation studios. TMS has
won recognition from the international filmmaking industry for its
highly-acclaimed animation, pioneering techniques and proud
commitment to quality. With a dedicated team of development,
production and design executives, TMS's growing reputation is
reflected by the versatility, artistry and originality of the
programs the company has produced for international markets
worldwide. Established in 1964, TMS has produced more than 200
features, and over 100 TV program series, with a total of 12,000
half hours for global distribution. TMS programs have attained
worldwide recognition and TMS will continue to strive for
excellence. Visit TMS at http://www.tms-e.com/english/.
ABOUT NELVANA LIMITED
Nelvana is Canada's premier
animation company and a world-leading producer and distributor of
children's content. Nelvana has delighted audiences around the
globe for more than 40 years with a vast library of more than 4,000
episodes from original, award-winning series like Babar and
Franklin. Nelvana's content is distributed in more than 160
countries worldwide and broadcasts across Corus Entertainment's
suite of leading kids networks. Nelvana Enterprises, the global
licensing and merchandising arm of Nelvana, manages the
organization's portfolio of in-house and third-party brands with
offices in Toronto and
Paris. Nelvana Studio, with
offices in Toronto and
Montreal, employs more than 300
Canadian artists working with local and international producers to
create premium children's content for a global stage. For
more information, visit http://www.nelvana.com.
ABOUT CARTOON NETWORK
Cartoon Network is Turner's global entertainment brand and the # 1
animation network in the U.S., offering the best in original
content for kids and families with such hits as, Adventure
Time, The Powerpuff Girls, Steven Universe, We Bare
Bears and The Amazing World of
Gumball. Seen in 192 countries and over 400 million homes,
Cartoon Network is known for being a leader in innovation with its
approach to engaging and inspiring kids at the intersection of
creativity and technology. Its pro-social initiative, Stop
Bullying: Speak Up is an acknowledged and often used
resource for kids and adults looking for tools that can assist in
dealing with the ongoing issue of bullying.
Turner, a WarnerMedia company, is a global entertainment, sports
and news company that creates premium content and delivers
exceptional experiences to fans whenever and wherever they consume
content. These efforts are fueled by data-driven insights and
industry-leading technology. Turner owns and operates some of the
most valuable brands in the world, including Adult Swim, Bleacher
Report, Boomerang, Cartoon Network, CNN, ELEAGUE, FilmStruck, Great
Big Story, HLN, iStreamPlanet, Super Deluxe, TBS, Turner Classic
Movies (TCM), TNT, truTV and Turner
Sports.
SPIN MASTER CONTACT: mediarelations@spinmaster.com;
+1-416-364-6002 ext 2160 CARTOON NETWORK CONTACT: Amy Pfister / Amy.Pfister@Turner.com