Category: Kids

MUMBAI: US kids broadcaster Nickelodeon, Toynami and designer vinyl toy brand UNKL have entered into a new licensing agreement to create a line of co-branded ‘SpongeBob SquarePants’ urban vinyl toys modeled after UNKL‘s UniPo figures.

The new toy line inspired by the television show, which will offer fans and collectors a take on the yellow sponge, was announced by UNKL co-founder Jason Bacon, Toynami president George Sohn and Licensing Street MD JJ Ahearn.
 
The first wave of figures will include SpongeBob SquarePants, Patrick, Squidward, Mr. Krabs and The Flying Dutchman, which will be available to specialty retailers this fall.

Nickelodeon Consumer Products senior VP, global toys and video games Manuel Torres said, “Our collaboration with UNKL and Toynami has resulted in a truly unique line of figures that showcase SpongeBob‘s spirit through an innovative new toy design. These products will appeal to SpongeBob fans and collectors of all ages.”

Bacon said, “UNKL is thrilled to offer their creative take on one of the most iconic characters in pop culture history. Combining the irreverence and loveable nature of SpongeBob and his friends with UNKL‘s UniPo character and adding the expertise of Toynami, we‘ve created something special that fans will love.”
 

MUMBAI: US kids broadcaster Cartoon Network has signed a development agreement with action-adventure producer Don Murphy and partner Susan Montford and their company Angry Filmworks to develop a film based on the environment-saving animated hero, Captain Planet and the Planeteers.

The announcement was made by Turner Broadcasting System‘s Animation Young Adults and Kids Media division (AYAKM) president and COO Stuart Snyder. The agreement gives Murphy and his company the rights to develop and package the property and advance it towards production.

Murphy and Angry Filmworks made the Transformers franchise.. Murphy and Montford together produced the upcoming Hugh Jackman blockbuster‘Real Steel‘ with executive producer Steven Spielberg. The company also is responsible for action-oriented films as Shoot‘Em Up (2007), The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003), Apt Pupil (1998) and Natural Born Killers (1994). Angry Filmworks formed in 1998.

Snyder said,”The messages of Captain Planet are even more relevant today. We feel this team can bring the world‘s first eco-hero to life in a powerful motion picture that is not only pertinent but entertaining.”
 
Murphy said,”We are extremely excited about bringing the good Captain back to life. His adventures are known worldwide and he is recognized across generations. We expect to make a spectacular series of films with the amazing team at Cartoon Network.”

In an effort to inform younger viewers about serious environmental issues, legendary cable entrepreneur Ted Turner partnered with DIC Enterprises in 1990 to create the world‘s first animated environmental series, Captain Planet and the Planeteers. The series was about a group of young people who combine their special powers (The Planeteers) to summon Captain Planet, an environmental superhero, to battle the world‘s worst eco-villains.

Captain Planet and the Planeteers premiered in 1990, airing domestically and internationally in syndication and on cable networks TBS and TNT. Six seasons of the series were produced in the original run of the series, featuring the voice talents of multiple guest celebrities, including Whoopi Goldberg (Gaia), Meg Ryan (Dr. Blight), Martin Sheen (Sly Sludge), Edward Asner (Hoggish Greedly), James Coburn (Looten Plunder), Dean Stockwell (Duke Nukem) and Sting (Zarm). Winning multiple Environmental Media Awards across its production, Captain Planet and the Planeteers also got several Daytime Emmy nominations.

MUMBAI: Disney XD has ordered ‘Lab Rats‘ a comedy about a teenager, Leo, who discovers three teen super-humans with bionic powers in the basement of his home, which he shares with his mom, Tasha, and inventor stepdad, Donald Davenport.

The bionic trio soon convince Leo to take them along to high school so they too can experience normal life. The multi-camera series, a companion to Disney XD‘s hit series “Kickin‘ It,” will begin production in Hollywood in September for a 2012 premiere on Disney XD. 
 
The stars are Tyrel Jackson Williams, Billy Unger, Spencer Boldman, Kelli Berglund and Hal Sparks.

After inadvertently accessing a high tech wall panel that sends him plummeting into a secret underground lab, Leo discovers three teen super-humans – Adam the strong one, Bree the fast one and Chase the smart one.

The three, eager to leave their confines, convince Leo to take them along to school, where they try to be normal teens while
managing their bionic strengths. Along the way, they help Leo build confidence in himself, and figure out a way to keep their bionic abilities and dangerous missions a secret from the world. 

MUMBAI: Cartoon Network has announced a joint agreement with Singapore‘s Media Development Authority (MDA) to launch Snaptoons (Short New Asia Pacific Cartoons), an initiative that calls for creative pitches for original series from professional and budding animators.
 
Cartoon Network‘s latest partnership with Singapore marks the broadcaster‘s ongoing commitment to nurture creative talent across Asia Pacific and has previously launched Snaptoons in India, Malaysia and Australia. As a result, Cartoon Network has produced or is in production of a variety of projects including Kul Veera (India), Johnny Bravo Goes To Bollywood (India), Hi-So Hillbilly (Thailand) and Exchange Student Zero (Australia).

The Snaptoons project aims to connect Cartoon Network with new creative talent from Singapore, with the end plan of investing in and developing fresh animated ideas appealing to kids, reflecting the Cartoon Network brand‘s promise of fun, funny, surprising and fearless.

Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific creative director of animation Silas Hickey said,”It is important to us at Cartoon Network to find and nurture home-grown talent from around the Asia Pacific region. Singapore has long been known as a hub for creativity, particularly within the arts, and with the support of MDA we hope to showcase this talent on an international platform while animating kids‘ lives with the best in homegrown entertainment.”

Snaptoons invites animation industry professionals, individual animators and animation studios from Singapore to send in their
pitches, with the potential to see their ideas eventually come to life alongside the Channel‘s line-up of iconic characters such as Ben 10, Chowder, The Powerpuff Girls, Generator Rex and Johnny Bravo. Up to ten pitches will be shortlisted, based on their development potential, with up to five eventually created into broadcast quality shorts.

MDA director of broadcast, animation, film and music Yeo Chun Cheng said,”We are pleased to partner with Cartoon Network on Snaptoons.

Our collaboration provides opportunities for Singapore content creators especially budding animators to create original and creative content for the international market. We look forward to receiving many interesting pitches and have some of the best ideas developed into shorts or even a full series.”

This is Singapore‘s second collaboration with Cartoon Network. In March this year, Cartoon Network and Singapore‘s home-grown animation studio Scrawl Studios announced a multi-year agreement to develop, produce and distribute high quality content on the channel across the Asia Pacific region.

Entry for Snaptoons Singapore is open to all inventive and visionary industry professionals. Concepts should appeal to kids, be inspiring, smart and surprising but, above all, they should be funny.

MUMBAI: Disney Channel is making an entry into Tamil and Telugu language content through a newly created block for the two-seven-year-olds.

The branded block, Disney Junior, will start from 4 July and occupy the 11 am-12.30 pm time band. Airing Monday to Friday, it will also be in English and Hindi, the two languages Disney Channel is available in India.

The effort is to age up Disney Channel’s pre-school content. With Playhouse Disney, the channel used to target the two-five-year-olds. The focus of the new pre-school block will be to widen the base to even the seven-year-olds.

Says Walt Disney Television International India VP and GM Natasha Malhotra, “Disney Junior will have the all-time favourites with exciting new content to age-up our pre-school offerings, focusing on two to seven year olds and their families.”

 
Disney Junior will house Playhouse Disney as well as new content. Says Malhotra, “Playhouse Disney built a great base with pioneering content such as Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Disney Junior will further bolster the emotional connect that Disney has with kids and families across the country.”

Forming the pivot of the ‘Disney Junior’ block will be ‘Jake and the Never land Pirates’, which will have a local element to it. The animated adventure series, combining new and classic Disney characters Captain Hook and Smee, will have Cryus Broacha play the voice of Sharky along with musician Sid Coutto as the voice of Bones. The duo will also be seen on the show with an entertaining live–action routine which has been locally produced in India.

Disney Junior will also feature a short form series, ‘Mickey Mousekersize’ to encourage healthy lifestyles for preschoolers and families; new show ‘Cat in the Hat knows a Lot About That’; and the leading TV show for preschoolers ‘Mickey Mouse Clubhouse’, along with ‘Handy Manny’, ‘Special Agent Oso’ and ‘Little Einsteins’.

In addition, the block will showcase ‘Car Toons’ and ‘Toy Treats’, short form content characters from Disney movies Cars and Toy Story.

“As we continue to build a family entertainment brand in the country, Disney Junior will be a noteworthy introduction for many Indian kids and families, to the unique, unmatched and magical brand that is Disney,” avers Malhotra.

MUMBAI: US kids broadcaster Nickelodeon will air live-action and CG-animated TV movie, A FairlyOdd Movie: Grow Up, Timmy Turner! on 9 July, to celebrate 10 years of The Fairly Odd Parents‘ Timmy Turner.

The hour-long original TV movie, starring Drake Bell (Drake and Josh) and Daniella Monet (Victorious), follows the adventures of a now 23-year-old Timmy Turner (Bell), who refuses to grow up in order to keep his fairy godparents.

 
Timmy‘s resolve to stay a kid forever is tested when the once gawky, now gorgeous Tootie (Monet) returns to town and he must choose between her and his beloved magical fairy godparents.

The movie, from series creator Butch Hartman, also features TV actors Jason Alexander (Seinfeld), Cheryl Hines (Curb Your Enthusiasm) and Steven Weber (Parenthood).

The show’s creator and executive producer Butch Hartman said, “I‘ve always felt the vibrant characters and zany sensibility of The Fairly OddParents would make a great movie. I wanted to take the series in an unexpected direction by introducing live-action characters while keeping the integrity of the series‘ trademark magic through CG animation.”

MUMBAI: US kids broadcaster Nickelodeon has announced that Sean Astin will lend his voice to Raphael in the new CG-animated TV show, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

The show will air next year. The other actors are Jason Biggs as Leonardo, Greg Cipes as Michelangelo and Rob Paulsen as Donatello.

Nickelodeon Kids and Family Group president, animation Brown Johnson said, “We‘re thrilled to have such a talented group of actors to voice the ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles‘ in this new series. This cast will bring great humor and intensity to our new action comedy take on the band of turtle brothers.”

Raphael (Astin) is the biggest and toughest of the brothers, and has little patience for stealth operations, hiding in the shadows or keeping his voice down. Leonardo (Biggs), considered to be the leader of the turtles, aspires to be the perfect hero around his three smart-aleck brothers. Donatello (Paulsen) is the reclusive, yet utterly brilliant team inventor who is able to cobble together fantastic weapons from things scrounged from a trash heap. And Michelangelo (Cipes) is enthusiastic, easily distracted, loves pop culture and is always trying to get in on the latest fad.

 
Nickelodeon‘s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles begins as the turtles emerge from their hidden lair in the sewers for the very first time, ready to confront the wondrous and hostile world of New York City and face enemies more dangerous and pizza more delicious than anything they could have imagined. Funnier and with more Ninjitsu than ever before, the show will explore the camaraderie of four teenage brothers learning to rely on themselves and one another as they unravel the mystery of their existence and grow to become the heroes in a half-shell that they are destined to be.

Considered one of the most popular kids‘ television programmes of the 1980s, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a classic, global property created in 1984 by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. It first debuted as a successful comic book series and then became a hit animated TV show, a live-action television series and later spawned four blockbuster theatrical releases.

The property also has translated into a significant consumer products business – with DVDs, video games, toys and more – that has generated billions of dollars at retail.

Nickelodeon Consumer Products will continue to work with its original and long-standing toy partner, Playmates Toys, which has been the creative force behind the successful TMNT master toy programme over the last two decades. Playmates is already developing a product line based on the new “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” series which will cater to kids and consumers all around the world.

Next up for TMNT, this coming July at Comic-Con in San Diego,
California select fans will get an exclusive sneak peek at the re-imagination of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, preview all-new never-before-seen content, and meet special guests who are working on the new property.

MUMBAI: US kids broadcaster Nickelodeon will kick of the international series, Winx Club, on 27 June.

Launching first with four one-hour specials, followed later this year with a weekly series, Winx Club focuses on six best friends enrolled in fairy school as they face many adventures together with strength, smarts and teamwork.
 
Culled from the first two seasons of the Italian hit series from Rainbow S.p.A, the four specials include state-of-the-art visual effects and feature the voices of some of Nick‘s biggest stars, including: Keke Palmer (True Jackson, VP) as Aisha; Elizabeth Gillies (Victorious) as Daphne; Ariana Grande (Victorious) as Diaspro; and Matt Shively (True Jackson, VP) as Skye; as well as Molly Quinn (Castle) as Bloom. Cymphonique Miller (How to Rock) performs the show‘s theme song, “Winx You‘re Magic Now.”

The four specials will premiere monthly through the fall, followed by a weekly series of Winx Club seasons three and four, both featuring the new Nick voice talent.

Nickelodeon and Rainbow are currently in production on 52 additional episodes of original 2D/CG-animated seasons five and six, which are scheduled to bow in 2012.

Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids and Family Group president, animation Brown Johnson said, “Winx Club is all about girl power. It focusses on a group of super-fashionable fairies whose friendship and teamwork empower them to face any challenge thrown their way – from scary monsters to evil witches.”

Winx Club is an animated modern fantasy adventure series that follows six best friends — Bloom, Stella, Flora, Musa, Tecna and Aisha — enrolled in Alfea College, the finest fairy school in all the realms. When trouble arises, the Winx transform into beautiful fairies who use their unique magical powers to fight villains and save the world from evil.

Winx Club first debuted in Italy six years ago and quickly became a hit that has generated an international franchise of toys, books, clothing, and DVDs, as well as a CG-animated film.

Bloom (Quinn) is the most powerful fairy and leader of the Winx. She has an inborn ability to sense danger, combined with a lively intelligence and a deep sense of loyalty. As the fairy of the waves, Aisha (Palmer) is fearless, determined, energetic, and a sports enthusiast. Skye (Shively) is the leader of the Specialists, a group of teenage boys from a neighboring school who befriend the Winx fairies and fight alongside them to battle evil.

The fairy sister of Bloom, Daphne (Gillies), sacrifices her life in order to keep Bloom safe and sometimes appears to her sister as an advisor. And, Diaspro (Grande), a somewhat materialistic princess who can be difficult at times.

In support of the specials, from 23 June, kids can visit Nick.com to play Winx Club: Enchantrix, a magic-themed animated game, where players can select and dress a Winx Club character to help guide them through environments and adventures all their own. Petpet Park, Nickelodeon‘s virtual life fantasy world inspired by the iconic virtual world pioneer, Neopets and its popular companion characters Petpets, is offering a special virtual item giveaway.

Players who visit Petpet Park from June 16-30 will receive a free Winx Club magical charm bracelet for their Petpets.

MUMBAI: Animation firm DQ Entertainment (DQE) has signed an agreement with German firm ZDF Enterprises (ZDFE) for a 3D animated series named 5 & IT as part of a multi-million euro packaged deal.

According to a deal, the TV series which is being produced at a budget of 9.2 million Euros will be distributed by ZDFE. It will hold distribution rights in 64 countries including Eastern and Western Europe, South America and Latin America.
Currently, DQE is also in talks with leading broadcasters worldwide for broadcasting its new 3D animated TV series.
 
5 & IT is based on a book by Edith Nesbit. This fantasy adventure for children between 6 and 10 is about five children and a sand fairy who they befriend and ‘It’ grants them a wish every day. The story has already appeared in live action cinema and TV in Europe.

DQE’s CEO Tapaas Chakravati said, “The production of ‘5&IT in 3D has proved DE’s capability in producing world class IP while expanding our business. We believe the new series will also go on to be a huge success like our previous productions.”

DQE and ZDFE have partnered in successful International projects including The Jungle Book, Peter Pan and Lassie.
 

MUMBAI: Mattel Toys India has launched a new summer range of school accessories as it’s time for children to go back to school.

The new range of products, which include bags, water bottle and lunch boxes, starts from Rs 225 onwards. This exclusive collection is available at all major Lifestyle and Landmark stores.

Mattel’s new range has also introduced pink and purple Barbie backpacks for girls, which have satin guitar shaped pocket studded with rhinestones and Hot Wheels with track lane, in-built into the bag which can also be used as a racing device for boys when attached to an external Hot Wheels track.

To promote the new range, the company is also offering a free Barbie sipper on the purchase of a Barbie school bag. And with every Hot Wheel bag, customers can get a free Hot Wheel track.

Additionally, with a purchase of over Rs 1300, girls get a Barbie
personal care gift set and boys get a Hot Wheel car and Hot Wheels track with every Hot Wheel bag.