Genius Brands International (“Genius Brands”) (NASDAQ: GNUS)
announced today its first direct-to-retail program with specialty
retailer,
Hot Topic, to create a line of apparel
for the
Stan Lee brand as part of this
year’s
Stan Lee Centennial celebration
campaign.
Genius Brands, through a joint venture with POW! Entertainment,
owns and manages the global rights to the legendary Stan Lee’s
name, physical likeness, voice, signature, and IP,
called Stan Lee Universe, which includes the
Stan Lee Celebrity brand, as well as new content to be created
from Stan Lee’s portfolio of approximately 150 unmined ideas and
character creations in his post-Marvel career, along with consumer
products programs to be developed for these new projects. This
year’s Stan Lee Centennial campaign, celebrating Stan’s
100th birthday, is the first phase of a much broader Stan Lee
Universe program. Under the new deal, Hot Topic will create
an exclusive line of officially licensed Stan Lee-branded
print-on-demand apparel, available at Hottopic.com in time for
holiday. In addition to Hot Topic, Genius Brands is working with
licensing partners, including Funko, Bioworld, Changes,
Iron Studios, JADA, Mego, Mighty Mojo, Moor Art, Royal Bobbles,
Sideshow and more, to create a curated product capsule,
including apparel and collectibles, for the Stan Lee Centennial
Collection. Additional product categories will follow in early
2023.
Genius Brands’ Chief Brand Officer Kerry
Phelan stated: “We are launching the Stan Lee
Centennial campaign to carry on his legacy for his millions of fans
worldwide. We take our role of managing the Stan Lee brand very
seriously and are being extremely selective with our partners, and
we couldn’t be more thrilled to bring Hot Topic on board to drive
this first direct-to-retail program for the brand.”
“Stan Lee is a legend and one of the most prolific creators of a
generation,” said Ed Labay, EVP Merchandise &
Marketing, Hot Topic Inc. “We are excited to partner with
Genius Brands to celebrate Stan’s life and his invaluable cultural
contribution through the creation of a direct-to-retail
program that features high-quality merchandise for fans to
enjoy.”
Recently, Genius Brands signed a 20-year deal to license the
name and likeness of Stan Lee to Marvel Studios for future feature
films and television productions, as well as to create and sell
merchandise in Disney theme parks and experiences
worldwide.
About Stan LeeStan Lee is one of the most
prolific and legendary comic creators of all time. As Marvel's
editor-in-chief, Stan "The Man" Lee helped build a universe of
interlocking continuity, one where fans felt as if they could turn
a street corner and run into a super hero from Spider-Man to the
Fantastic Four, Thor, Iron Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and more. Stan
went on to become Marvel’s editorial director and publisher in
1972, and was eventually named chairman emeritus.
Stan also appeared in some of the most popular films of all
time. His well-known cameos in Marvel films began in the 1989
telefilm The Trial of the Incredible Hulk. After the release
of X-Men in 2000, he appeared in nearly every Marvel film
and television project until his passing in 2018.
Among Stan’s many awards is the National Medal of Arts, awarded
by President Bush in 2008, and the Disney Legends Award, received
in 2017. He was also inducted into the comic industry’s Will Eisner
Award Hall of Fame and Jack Kirby Hall of Fame.
About Genius Brands InternationalGenius Brands
International, Inc. (Nasdaq: GNUS) is a leading global kids media
company developing, producing, marketing and licensing branded
children’s entertainment properties and consumer products for media
and retail distribution. The Company’s IP portfolio of
family-friendly content features the Stan
Lee brand, Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten, starring
Arnold Schwarzenegger, on Kartoon Channel!; Shaq’s Garage,
starring Shaquille O’Neal, coming to Kartoon Channel!; Rainbow
Rangers on Kartoon Channel! and Netflix; Llama Llama,
starring Jennifer Garner, on Netflix and more. Recently, Genius
Brands entered into an agreement to acquire Canada’s WOW! Unlimited
Media (TSX-V: WOW), which includes 2,500 channels under the Channel
Federator Network, and has also made a strategic investment in
Germany’s Your Family Entertainment AG (FRA:RTV), one of Europe’s
largest distributors and broadcasters of high-quality programs for
children and families.
Genius Brands’ Kartoon Channel! is a globally
distributed entertainment platform with 100% penetration in the
U.S. television market and international expansion with launches in
key markets around the world. The channel is available in the U.S.
via a broad range of distribution platforms, including Comcast,
Cox, DISH, Amazon Prime, Amazon Fire, Apple
TV, Apple iOS, Android TV, Android Mobil, Google
Play, Roku, YouTube, KartoonChannel.com, Samsung Smart and LG
TVs, the JetBlue Inflight platform and more. Genius Brands will
soon launch the subscription-based Kartoon Channel! Kidaverse,
featuring metaversal content and over 15,000 animated
titles.
For additional information, please
visit www.gnusbrands.com.
Forward Looking Statements: Certain statements in this press
release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning
of the federal securities laws. Words such as "may," "might,"
"will," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate,"
"continue," "predict," "forecast," "project," "plan," "intend" or
similar expressions, or statements regarding intent, belief, or
current expectations, are forward-looking statements. While the
Company believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable,
undue reliance should not be placed on any such forward-looking
statements, which are based on information available to us on the
date of this release. These forward looking statements are based
upon current estimates and assumptions and are subject to various
risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, our ability
to generate revenue or achieve profitability; our ability to obtain
additional financing on acceptable terms, if at all; the potential
issuance of a significant number of shares, which will dilute our
equity holders; fluctuations in the results of our operations from
period to period; general economic and financial conditions; our
ability to anticipate changes in popular culture, media and movies,
fashion and technology; competitive pressure from other
distributors of content and within the retail market; our reliance
on and relationships with third-party production and animation
studios; our ability to market and advertise our products; our
reliance on third-parties to promote our products; our ability to
keep pace with technological advances; our ability to protect our
intellectual property and those other risk factors set forth in the
“Risk Factors” section of the Company’s most recent Annual Report
on Form 10-K and in the Company's subsequent filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Thus, actual
results could be materially different. The Company expressly
disclaims any obligation to update or alter statements whether as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as
required by law.
MEDIA CONTACT:pr@gnusbrands.com
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