From the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who, to big hitters such as Man of Steel, Despicable Me 2, Iron Man 3 and Monsters University at the cinema, through to some reinventions of classic brands, 2013 has a lot to deliver. Samantha Loveday takes you through some of the licensing highlights, quarter by quarter
JANUARY TO MARCH The New Year kicks off with Hasbro launching a number of initiatives for some of its key brands. The second part of the first series of Transformers Primewill launch on DVD in February, while season two begins its run on air. My Little Pony also turns 30 in the first quarter, with a raft of toy product launching under the Crystal Empire theme. There will also be developments in Nerf, Furby and Littlest Pet Shop. One year on from its acquisition by Mattel, Hit Entertainment is gearing up for a busy time with two key properties, Thomas & Friends and Mike the Knight. 2013 will be the first time all four train systems are under one roof for Thomas & Friends, with the new Wooden Railway from Fisher-Price arriving in January. Also during Q1, Drayton Manor Theme Park will be celebrating the fifth anniversary of its Thomas Land attraction, with Hit joining forces with the park
JANUARY
My Little Pony begins its 30th anniversary year Famosa launches Furby plush at Toy Fair The new Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway launches from Fisher-Price The Everything’s RosieNintendo DS game from Avanquest launches Vivid unveils series five of Moshi Monsters Moshlings Toy and gift lines for Battersea Dogs & Cats Home will launch from Ravensburger and Marbel at Toy Fair Monsters Incis releasing on Disney Digital 3D for the first time A new Paddington Bear games app, featuring five mini games, launches
for a series of specially planned events. A new look and fresh activities will be introduced for the Day Out with Thomas programme. Meanwhile, Mike the Knight will be bolstered with its first game app in spring, while live events will also kick off and the first of two DVD launches of 2013 will arrive in March.
2013. Q1 will see further expansion at retail with dedicated Moshi zones and the Moshi Bus shop. Vivid will launch series five of the Moshlings in January, followed by the new Micro Moshlings in February. Poppet will also continue to be developed as a brand, while GREE will launch two new mobile titles in Q1.
There’s no slowing down for Moshi Monsters in 2013, the number one UK property in 2012 for seven months.
Aardman and Vivid Imaginations roll out the first product for Canimals in March. Toy highlights will include Squeaky Canimals and Talking Canimals assortments, both arriving in time for Easter. Finally, having been the number one licensed property in the UK for seven consecutive months in 2012, there’s no slowing down for Moshi Monsters in
Other highlights: Paul Lamond launches four Horrid Henry jigsaws – two 100-piece and two 250- piece – as well as a board game at Toy Fair; the third series of Shaun the Sheep launches in Germany in January with other key territories following in the spring; V&S will boost the Everything’s Rosie brand with a Nintendo DS game, there will be further
FEBRUARY
Transformers Primeseason two begins its run on-air, while the second part of series on is released on DVD Penguin launches a children’s book line for Cloudbabies The second DVD for Tree Fu Tomhits retail A new Postman Pat: Special Delivery Service series premieres on Cbeebies Vivid’s Micro Moshlings product hits stores
publishing from Egmont, plus the third DVD from NBC Universal; new episodes of Cloudbabies will launch on Cbeebies, supported by books from Penguin in February and toy lines from Vivid; the first product ranges for FME’s Tree Fu Tom hit retail including toys, books and home entertainment among other categories; new toy lines for The Very Hungry Caterpillar arrive to bolster the existing Rainbow Designs range; Underground Toys’ The Annoying Orange range hits retail; Garfield plush launches from Aurora World and Paddington Bear gets a new app. Toy lines for Nickelodeon’s Dinosaur Trainand Winx Clubwill be unveiled; Character Options will launch its Theme Park collections for Peppa Pig, while four new holiday themed TV episodes will launch in time for Easter; CreaCon’s City of Friends web shop will launch in the spring.
MARCH
Vivid Imaginations launches its Canimals line in time for Easter, with highlights including Squeaky Canimals and Talking Canimals Drayton Manor Theme Park celebrates the fifth anniversary of the Thomas Land attraction The first Mike the KnightDVD of 2013 launches, while the property will also welcome a new game app, Knight in Training, in the spring Immediate Media’s March issue of Rastamouse Magazinewill feature augmented reality, making it the company’s first title to move into the AR space Rastamouse will embark on a theatrical tour (early 2013) DreamWorks’ movie The Croodshits cinemas Finding Nemois released in Disney Digital 3D
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KEY MOVIE RELEASES
BEAUTIFUL CREATURES Warner Bros. – February
WRECK-IT RALPH Disney – February
JACK THE GIANT SLAYER Warner Bros. – March
THE CROODS DreamWorks Animation – March
G.I JOE: RETALIATION Paramount – March
KEY TRADE SHOWS
SPRING FAIR Birmingham NEC February 3rd-7th
KIDSCREEN SUMMIT Hilton NY, New York February 5th-8th