By Marcy Magiera With Star Wars: The Force Awakens closing in on $2 billion in global ticket sales and continuing to topple box-office records on an almost daily basis a month after its opening, it's clear the latest installment in the sci-fi epic will continue to drive licensed merchandise sales throughout 2016—and beyond. Once The Force Awakens leaves theaters, there … [Read more...] about Turtles, Trolls and Other Movie Licenses That Will Challenge Star Wars This Year
Marvel
Disney’s ‘Star Wars’ Merchandising Campaign: Bigger & Earlier than Anything Before
The timing between movie release and merchandising is a perennial challenge in movie licensing. Historically, merchandise associated with an anticipated blockbuster appears on store shelves around six weeks before release. But several of the entertainment executives we interviewed last spring for The Licensing Letter's 2014 Annual Licensing Business Survey predicted that this … [Read more...] about Disney’s ‘Star Wars’ Merchandising Campaign: Bigger & Earlier than Anything Before
Licensing to Theme Parks Builds Revenue & Brand Exposure
One of the editors of The Licensing Letter was recently at a party on the Universal Studios backlot when some fellow guests began, by their own admission, to "geek out" over the distant spires of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which is under construction for a planned opening next year. The attraction, based on the J.K. Rowling books and Warner Bros. movies, is expected … [Read more...] about Licensing to Theme Parks Builds Revenue & Brand Exposure
Marvel Back in Spidey Web
Sony Pictures will restyle the Spider-Man franchise in partnership with Marvel Studios, returning the web slinger to the Marvel universe. Sony has owned the movie rights to Spider-Man since 1999, when it bought them from Marvel (now owned by Disney). The deal is expected to produce a new Spidey film due in theaters in summer 2017. Before then, Spider-Man will appear in upcoming … [Read more...] about Marvel Back in Spidey Web
Fighting Obesity In the Produce Aisle
With an increasing societal focus on health and wellness and a desire to combat childhood obesity, entertainment/character licensors are interested in associating their properties with the produce category, and vice versa. Some examples within the last year or so: Sesame Workshop, the Produce Marketing Association, and the Partnership for a Healthier America forged a deal … [Read more...] about Fighting Obesity In the Produce Aisle