Tuesday, November 10, 2015

"Miraculous Tales Of Ladybug & Cat Noir" And "Mysticons" Consumer Products Programs Start To Take Shape

Kidscreen is reporting the exciting news that, following the debut of "Miraculous Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir" this winter on Nickelodeon USA, Bandai, the global master toy partner for the brand-new CG-animated comedy series, will launch a "Miraculous Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir" toy line, featuring dolls, figures, plush and role play toys based on the series, at US mass and specialty retailers during Autumn (Fall) 2016! Bandai's "Miraculous Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir" toy line will drive a sizable consumer products program, which also includes Rubie's (costumes), Accessory Innovations (bags, backpacks, luggage), H.E.R. (jewelry, hair accessories), Franco Manufacturing (bedding, bath), Komar (pajamas, sleepwear, robes) and Handcraft Manufacturing (undergarments).


Based on an original concept by Zag, "Miraculous Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir" is a 26-episode series (a co-production between Zag, Method Animation, Toei Animation and SamG, with the participation of TF1, Disney Channel EMEA, SK Broadband and AB droits audiovisuels) that follows two junior high students, Marinette and Adrien, chosen to save Paris from the evil doings of a mysterious super-villain. The storylines and adventures are rich with friends, family, fun, secret identity, transformation, villains, fashion, creativity and more, all within the spectacular backdrop of Paris. The brand-new series premieres Sunday 6th December 2015 at 12:00pm (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon USA. Following the debut of the first episode, Nick USA will continue to premiere more brand-new episodes every Sunday at 12:00pm (ET/PT).

Additionally, Kidscreen is also reporting that the consumer products program for "Mysticons" is currently taking shape. The "Mysticons" consumer products program will aim to be ubiquitous, from mass market to online and specialty shops, when it launches in Fall 2017. A key piece of the puzzle is Playmates, the global master toy partner for "Mysticons" and the innovative toy company behind the monumental success of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Still in early development, the toy line will highlight the individual traits of each of the four main characters, while also being mindful of play patterns unique to girls.


"Mysticons" is being developed as a half-hour, animated Girls Action series targeting girls aged 6+. The series tells the epic tale of four girls who transform into legendary warriors and undertake a mythic quest to find a magic tome known as the Codex. They must reach the Codex before Necrafa, the Queen of the Undead, gets to it first and uses it to spread darkness and destruction. The Mysticons come from different walks of life, from princess to street kid, but are brought together by fate to save the world. With their incredible magical weapons and abilities, our masked Mysticons are modern day heroines. The series is written by veteran kids series writer Sean Jara ("RedaKai", "Hot Wheels: Battle Force 5", "The League of Super Evil", "Naturally Sadie") and is executive produced by Michael Eisner and Noel Bright for The Topps Company and Corus Entertainment's Doug Murphy, Colin Bohm and Irene Weibel. Nickelodeon will serve as the global broadcast partner, including in the USA. "Mysticons" is slated to make its global debut in 2017:
A crop of new girls superhero IPs line up to kick some retail butt

Until recently, the leading role in the classic "superhero saves world from supervillain" script has largely been reserved for those with a Y chromosome. Sure, there have been memorable female crime-fighting crusaders—see Wonder Woman, Black Widow, Batgirl—but they've typically taken a backseat to their male counterparts, and they certainly haven't been the centerpieces of multi-million-dollar franchises. However, there is a budding crop of superhero properties that will see female characters thrust into the spotlight over the next two years.


In fact, there may be a big shake-up coming to the male-centric superhero realm. At least four major female-focused superhero properties—DC Super Hero Girls, Miraculous–Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir, The Powerpuff Girls and Mysticons—are slated to hit the US retail market by 2017. And A-list licensees across all major consumer products categories are lining up to grab a piece of the action.

Depending on who you talk to, there are numerous reasons why female superhero properties are finally getting their time in the spotlight, but what it ultimately boils down to is their perceived ability to generate significant sales. Analysts, licensors and licensees alike agree that there is definitely money to be made in this category in the near future. But as to whether or not it will be sustainable over the long haul, the jury is still out.

According to analyst Lutz Muller, the key to any emerging category is to get in early, establish a share of the market, and try to become the dominant player. The CEO of Klosters Trading has earmarked DC Super Hero Girls master toy partner Mattel to take the lead with this month's launch of an action figure line based on the property. He believes the toyco could become to the girls action figure category what Lego became to girls construction toys after introducing Lego Friends to retail in 2012.

"Whoever comes into a toy category first usually does the heavy lifting at the beginning, but then they're very difficult to dislodge from whatever market share they've captured," contends Muller. "So, what Mattel is doing is absolutely right. Everybody will see it doing extremely well and will want to get into the act, too, and you'll find other areas will open up—like games and board games—where girls are not sufficiently taken care of."

Muller estimates the action figure category is 95% male and poised to clear US$1.6 billion at retail this year in the US. If Mattel, with its girls superhero action figures, is able to capture the same 10% to 12% revenue share that Lego Friends now claims in its category in the US, Mattel stands to generate sales between US$120 million and US$192 million with the DC Super Hero Girls line. But with disposable income being finite for most families, Muller says another category will be getting a haircut. "Parents aren't going to buy their daughters a Barbie and a DC Super Hero Girls action figure. It will be one or the other in all probability," he says.

BMO Capital Markets analyst Gerrick Johnson agrees that once the toy industry saw the homerun Lego hit with Lego Friends, it quickly realized that crossing categories was possible. Since then, toycos have created a wave of girl-targeted versions of traditionally boys toys, like Hasbro's Nerf Rebelle line, which was undoubtedly driven by the success of female archers in movies like Brave and The Hunger Games. He cites the emergence of girls superhero properties as an offshoot of the larger leading heroine trend playing out. "There hasn't been anything in this range before for girls," he says. "There have always been girls superhero characters, but there's never been this concerted effort to present them in this way."

While it's hard to gauge the dollar value of the nascent category at the moment, it could eventually be worth several billion, contends Stephanie Wissink, MD and senior research analyst at investment research firm Piper Jaffray. "I don't think it's a small feat," she says. "Fashion dolls as an industry are worth US$5 billion-plus. We know that there's a backdrop for a multi-billion-dollar translation of some of this content."

In a recent report surveying 355 US mothers to better understand children's play and media consumption patterns, Piper Jaffray found that when compelling, engaging media converges with product—a common thread across these upcoming girl-skewing properties—it tends to convert to higher retail sales.

"Any time you can move from a generic play pattern to one that's content-inspired, you can drive pricing power," Wissink says. "For example, a basic fashion doll may sell for US$6, while a Frozen doll retails for US$12. The same is true for a generic girls superhero action figure, which would probably retail for about US$8. But one with some content backing it up might be priced at US$15."

Keeping with retail appeal, Carol Spieckerman, president of retail consultancy firm newmarketbuilders, adds that more entertainment companies are realizing they need to have strong female characters to create balanced and more profitable portfolios.

In addition, the success of male-dominated superhero franchises has emboldened entertainment companies to produce female-friendly versions. Currently, four of the top 10 spots on the highest-grossing movies of all-time list—Marvel's The Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Iron Man 3 and Transformers: Dark of the Moon—sit very comfortably in the boys action figure category.

"Female superhero launches are a natural way to optimize their offerings, particularly as Marvel and other superhero powerhouses continue to prove the viability of the model," says Spieckerman.

For your average risk-averse retail buyer, investing in licensed merchandise of the superhero variety that's supported by strong content is a no-brainer. It's worth noting that 31% of all toys sold in the US in 2014 were based on licenses (NPD Group) and character/entertainment licensing accounts for 44.4% of the US$241.5 billion generated annually by licensed merchandise in global retail sales (LIMA).

Looking at the path many entertainment companies are taking with girl superhero properties, it's clear they are following a familiar route that starts with animated TV content and leads to a master toy deal and then a multi-tiered CP program. But with no real data available to test the viability of this emerging category, many of the companies involved are taking a certain leap of faith and are not deterred by the prospect of failure.

Offering a princess alternative

"We think it's going to be huge," says Kenji Washida, VP of brand management at Bandai, global master toy partner for new CGI-animated TV series Miraculous—Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir (26 x 22 minutes) from French prodco Zag. It's off to a running start this fall with broadcast deals inked with Disney EMEA, Nickelodeon, TF1 France, ABC Australia and EBS Korea.

"Girls toy spending has increased over the last few years as they are moving into new categories—categories previously dominated by boys," says Washida. "We see superheroes as another area where girls will be ready to change the toy environment with a new way to play. Last year, both dolls and action figure categories grew, and we expect that trend to continue," he adds. "There are a lot of girls toys on the market focused on fashion and princesses, so this is an opportunity to bring girls who are no longer playing with either back to the traditional/non-electronic toy world."

The upcoming Bandai toy line (dolls, figures, plush, role play) is set to launch in fall 2016 at US mass and specialty retailers and will drive a sizable consumer products program. So far Rubie's (costumes), Accessory Innovations (bags, backpacks, luggage), H.E.R. (jewelry, hair accessories), Franco Manufacturing (bedding, bath), Komar (pajamas, sleepwear, robes) and Handcraft Manufacturing (undergarments) have also licensed the property.

"The concept of a young girl as a superhero is a game-changer in both toys and entertainment," contends Washida. "Miraculous has someone girls can relate to—Ladybug's alter ego, Marinette, who's a quirky but lovable girl growing up, going to school and having first crushes. She's also someone they want to be—the superhero Ladybug. When Zag came to us a few years ago, we jumped at the opportunity."

Zag co-produced the series with Method Animation (France), Disney Channel EMEA, Toei Animation (Japan), SamG Animation (Korea), SK Broadband (Korea), PGS Entertainment (France) and AB International Distribution (France). And for Andre Lake Mayer Mayer, president of brand strategy and consumer products at Zag, there were two key reasons why the company wanted to make this series.

Pointing to the success of DC and Marvel movies featuring male superheroes over the past 10 years (which, according to Box Office Mojo, have brought in US$10 billion and US$17 billion, respectively), Lake Mayer says there is huge potential in the underserved girls superhero market.

"There has been a healthy onslaught in TV, motion picture, publishing and video games of male-oriented superhero content in the marketplace, but nothing original for girls and girl superhero empowerment," Lake Mayer says. "The other thing is the two big properties that had been trending—Monster High and Frozen—are cycling to the tail end, and the market is now ready for another big girls brand."

Cartoon Network, for one, is certainly hoping to step in and fill part of that void with its massive TV and retail reboot of 17-year-old The Powerpuff Girls in 2016. According to VP of consumer products Peter Yoder, despite the brand not having any new content in the market for nearly eight years, its endearing appeal has allowed it to remain culturally relevant.

"With the original fans now young adults, we think it's the perfect time to introduce a new generation to the girls and give moms of young daughters an opportunity to share their love for Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup," Yoder says of the young Townsville, USA crime-fighting trio. "We believe there's a big market for girls brands that offer an alternative to the traditional ones that have long been mainstays in the industry. And with its mix of action and comedy, The Powerpuff Girls fits that bill."

Clearly, Cartoon Network is not the only entertainment company to sense the opportunity that lies in revamping the award-winning series, which remains one of the kidsnet's top-grossing properties of all time, with more than US$2.5 billion in retail sales. Spin Master, which just reported a 144.4% increase in Q2 sales for its girls and preschool business segment, is on-board as master toy partner. Penguin Young Readers Group and Disguise, meanwhile, have taken publishing and costume rights, respectively.

Another property looking to tap into the trending girls superhero space, catering to six to 11s, is Mysticons. The reecently announced property was initially developed for a boys audience, but its TV series will ultimately star four girls who transform into legendary warriors.

"It was the recognition that we had this ambient expertise in action with generally heroic properties, and the moment is right to apply it to a more female audience," says Andrew Kerr, co-head of Nelvana Enterprises. The new Nelvana Studio/Topps Company co-pro Mysticons is expected to air in the first half of 2017, with Nickelodeon on-board as global broadcast partner.

"We saw that there was an opportunity to provide girls with linear TV content that was super heroic," Kerr says. "For a long time that wasn't the case. Girls six-plus were really being fed a steady diet of live-action, scripted comedy."
The emergence of Hunger Games heroine Katniss Everdeen and the whole Insurgent/Divergent phenomenon certainly helped whet the entertainment industry's appetite to test these uncertain waters, Kerr adds. "A number of points of evidence suggest there's a real opportunity on the merchandise side. What's the scale of that? It's really hard to tell. But if you get it right and appeal to the audience with the right combination of on-screen and on-shelf experience, the sky's the limit," he says.

Mysticons' consumer products program is still taking shape, but Kerr says it will aim to be ubiquitous, from mass market to online and specialty shops, when it launches in fall 2017. A key piece of the puzzle is Playmates, which has signed on to make Mysticons toys. Still in early development, the toy line will highlight the individual traits of each of the four main characters, while also being mindful of play patterns unique to girls.

"It's important to have content that creates an emotional connection for girls to the characters," says Gina Beebe, SVP of marketing at Playmates. "Girls love action and adventure, but they approach it differently than boys. Rather than smashing their adversaries, girls work more to outwit them. They also still gravitate towards traditional girls play patterns such as hair and fashion features."

When it comes to play patterns, BMO's Johnson says it's all about the 3Cs—confrontation, combat and competition for boys, and collaboration, cooperation and camaraderie for girls. The contrast between the two, he believes, is the main reason why the DC Super Hero Girls franchise, for example, chose to depict its star characters, including Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Batgirl and Harley Quinn, as a team of relatable teenagers in their formative years.

"When you think about superheroes, they are combatants, really. So, that's why I think the DC Super Hero Girls franchise has been softened a lot to be more like Monster High meets The Super Friends. It's a little bit about the trials and tribulations of high school, friendship and teamwork, as opposed to fighting the bad guys," he says.

Featuring top-tier licensees like publishing partner Random House Children's Books and Mattel, the consumer products line will also play into girls' unique sensibilities. Mattel president and CEO Richard Dickson says the franchise will look to engage and inspire girls by providing cues to explore heroic acts through play and real life. DC Super Hero Girls content launches digitally this fall, and then the property will run the gamut of a full-scale CP program in 2016 across toys, TV specials, videos, apparel, books and more.

Piper Jaffray's Wissink also attests to the fact that when much of the aforementioned content and products start hitting the market, female superhero characters will generally be portrayed in a different light than their male counterparts.

"Boys love things to be strong, powerful and loud," Wissink contends. "For a little girl, there still has to be attributes of authenticity, genuineness and compassion. So what you see in some of these brands is that the way they 'save the world' tends to be a little bit more tender, playing up those attributes of little girls' femininity. The superpowers they have tend to be about helping instead of being a victor."

With the industry pouring millions of dollars into launching several girls superhero properties, it's obvious that optimism is in the air. However, to turn a phrase from category inspiration The Hunger Games, it's highly unlikely the odds will be in everyone's favor.

For Wissink, who says consumer confidence has improved but not entirely rebounded since the last recession, it's difficult to know what shape the sales curve will take for these properties.

"Does it rise and start to mature, or is this truly a changing of the dynamics in terms of the mix in the consumer goods industry? Are we moving into an industry where girls superhero characters are going to be part of the mainstay collection?" she asks. "I don't think we have the answer to that yet."

BMO's Johnson, on the other hand, argues the category will most likely cycle through the market over the next three to four years, and then exit, due to the hit-hungry nature of the toy business.

"It's a hit-driven business," he says. "It's not all that unique that these girl-specific products would be out of the market at some point. But I think when these things cycle down, we won't see them anymore, while other things will cycle down and reach an equilibrium level of sales. Lego Friends might be around for awhile, but Nerf Rebelle and these superhero toys for girls will—at some point—go away."

Only time will tell whether or not the category fizzles out after a few years, becomes another cog in the toy wheel, or continues to accelerate alongside its male counterpart, as newmarketbuilders' Spieckerman thinks it will.

In the meantime, for those looking to take the next step and extend the current momentum, Spieckerman says the key is to optimize female superhero portfolios and content planning across a broad range of age groups and devices to ensure a longer lifespan and continuous consumer engagement. Granular analysis of viewership and purchasing data might help, as well as close collaboration between entertainment producers, licensors, licensees and retailers.

And for licensors who want to get the most out of their IPs, they should aim to pick the right partners rather than simply go for scale, Spieckerman adds. And by right, she means partners that are willing to get behind launches and show support from merchandising, content and e-commerce perspectives.

"In some cases, that may mean forging physical retail partnerships with one retailer and digital with another," Spieckerman says. "Ideally both will be at work, but it may not always make sense to tie up every expression of a property with a single retailer."

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Nelvana's "Little Charmers" App Wins Silver W3 Award; Series Continues To Grow in Europe

Original Corus Entertainment Inc. Press Release via CorusEnt.com:

Nelvana's Little Charmers App Wins Silver W3 Award

October 21, 2015

Academy of Interactive Visual Arts recognizes app in mobile family and kids category

(Toronto, Ontario) Corus Entertainment's Nelvana is pleased to announce that The Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts (AIVA) recognized Nelvana with a Silver award for its Little Charmers: Sparkle Up app in the Mobile Apps and Sites, Family and Kids category. The app, based on the successful animated, preschool series of the same name launched this past June and quickly soared to the #1 spot for downloaded iPad apps in the App Store on iTunes across the United States and Canada, less than a week after its launch. Since its launch in June, the app has garnered more than 275,000 downloads worldwide on iOS and Google Play.


Cutline: A screen shot from Nelvana's Little Charmers: Sparkle Up app

"We're thrilled to have received this highly coveted award from a top-tier industry organization," said Colin Bohm, Executive Vice President, Head of Corus Kids. "This recognition speaks to the app's visually appealing interactivity that gives young users the experience of exploring the Little Charmers world and seamlessly complements the top-rated preschool series."

The annual W3 Awards is sanctioned and judged by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts, an invitation-only body consisting of top-tier professionals from of acclaimed media, interactive, advertising, and marketing firms. In its tenth year, the Awards received nearly 5,000 entries from ad agencies, public relations firms, interactive agencies, in-house creative professionals, web designers, graphic designers and web enthusiasts.

Little Charmers: Sparkle Up is a free download for tablets and smartphones available in the App Store on iTunes and Google Play. Players can immerse themselves into Hazel, Posie and Lavender's magical world by casting spells to transform their surroundings, beam across a variety of locations and arrange charming props to create enchanting images which users can print, save and share with their friends. Additionally, they can also play with the girls' pets Seven, Flare and Treble.

The Little Charmers animated preschool series launched on Nick Jr. and Treehouse in Canada January 2015 and has consistently ranked among the top five preschool programs on the networks. Little Charmers, produced by Nelvana and Spin Master, takes place in the whimsical land of Charmville where three "Charmers-In-Training" embark on spellbinding adventures using their new magical powers that always seem to cause more problems than they solve. The series currently airs on Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. in territories worldwide including the U.S., and airs on Treehouse in Canada.

About Nelvana

Nelvana is a world-leading international producer and distributor of children's animated and live-action content. Nelvana produces a stable of award-winning and globally renowned brands that focus on comedies, preschool and boys action series and ancillary consumer products programs. Nelvana's content airs on Corus Entertainment's kids channels in Canada and in over 160 countries around the world. The Nelvana library has well over 4,000 episodes of programming and has received over 70 major international program awards including Emmys® and Geminis. Visit the Nelvana website at www.nelvana.com.

About the W3 Awards

The W3 Awards honors creative excellence on the Web, and recognizes the creative and marketing professionals behind award winning Websites, Web Video and Online Marketing programs. Simply put, the W³ is the first major Web competition to be accessible to the biggest agencies, the smallest firms, and everyone in between. Small firms are as likely to win as Fortune 500 companies and international agencies. The W3 Awards is sanctioned and judged by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts, an invitation-only body consisting of top-tier professionals from a "Who's Who" of acclaimed media, advertising, and marketing firms. Please visit www.aiva.org for a full member list and additional information.

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Additionally, official Corus Entertainment Inc. Press Release via CorusEnt.com:

Nelvana's Little Charmers Continues to Grow in Europe

October 21, 2015

Nelvana Signs New Licensing Agents and Broadcast Partners in France, Italy and Russia

Little Charmers L-R: Posie, Hazel, Lavender

(Toronto, Canada) – Corus Entertainment's Nelvana, one of the world's leading international producers and distributors of children's animated and live-action content, is pleased to announce three new licensing agents and two new broadcast partners for its enchanting preschool brand, Little Charmers.


Nelvana has signed on francetv distribution, a renowned licensing and TV distribution leader, to represent the brand's licensing and merchandising program in France. Subsequently, Little Charmers will air on France 5 channel in the Zouzous block, which caters to children aged three to six every morning. The series launched on October 20, 2015.

In Italy, Discovery Italia has been granted the rights to manage the licensing and merchandising business for the magical brand. Discovery Italia is the number three broadcaster in Italy with 14 channels across multiple platforms. Little Charmers has been one of the top shows on FRISBEE, Discovery Italia's free-to-air kids' channel, since airing in September 2015.

Additionally, Megalicense, the leading licensing agency in Russia and CIS territories, will build the licensing program for Little Charmers within Russia. The company prides itself on providing expertise and services in TV placement, marketing, licensing, and distribution.

About Nelvana

Nelvana is a world-leading international producer and distributor of children's animated and live-action content. Nelvana produces a stable of award-winning and globally renowned brands that focus on comedies, preschool and boys action series and ancillary consumer products programs. Nelvana's content airs on Corus Entertainment's kids channels in Canada and in over 160 countries around the world. The Nelvana library has well over 4,000 episodes of programming and has received over 70 major international program awards including Emmys® and Geminis. Visit the Nelvana website at www.nelvana.com.

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Follow Corus PR on Twitter @CorusPR

Follow Nelvana Enterprises on Twitter @NelvanaEnt

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Kid's Tennis Day Presented By Nickelodeon Australia Is Back And Bigger Than Ever In January 2016!

A highlight of the summer, Nickelodeon Australia will be hosting Kid's Tennis Day events at Queensland Tennis Centre on Sunday 3rd January 2016 (as part of Suncorp Kids Tennis Day), at Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre on Sunday 10th January 2016, and at Melbourne Park on Saturday 16th January 2016!


At each event, Nickelodeon is coming out swinging with ANZ Tennis Hot Shots, your favourite Nickelodeon characters, including the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer, and epic entertainment acts for whole lot of slimy tennis fun! Not to mention the world's best tennis players in action on court, who are bursting to join the party. Of course, it wouldn't be a Nickelodeon event without some slime – so kids can expect plenty of the green goo while they practice their backhand! The action won't stop there, Nick are also keeping a few slimey secrets in their racquet bag!


You can find full information about Kid's Tennis Day 2016 presented by Nickelodeon Australia and purchase tickets to each event here on ANZ Tennis Hot Shots' Kids Zone website! Remember to grab your tickets before they're all snapped up!
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Stars Sparkle At Nick Jr. UK's "Shimmer And Shine" Launch Party

Celebrities, including Stacey Solomon, Claire Sweeney, Toby Young, Imogen Thomas and former Nickelodeon UK presenter Sarah Cawood, among others entered a genie wonderland on Sunday 8th November 2015 to celebrate the launch of Nickelodeon's magical brand-new animated preschool series "Shimmer and Shine"!


Held at London's 11 Cavendish Square, 180 attendees, including the celebrities and their families, were treated to a genie-inspired party before being the first to view two episodes of the new series ahead of the series' TV debut on Monday 9th November 2015 on Nick Jr. UK and Ireland.

Activities included a dress-up box, face painting and glitter artists, magicians, belly dancers and a genie disco.

"Shimmer and Shine" follows Leah, a little girl who wins a genie bottle pendant at a carnival and is surprised to find that her prize comes with a bonus - twin genies!

Shimmer and Shine grant wishes for Leah whenever she is faced with a problem, although they inadvertently create chaos when using their magic.

"Shimmer and Shine" features a social-emotional curriculum highlighting the importance of teamwork, resilience and overcoming obstacles. The series is created by Farnaz Esnaashari-Charmatz (post-production supervisor for "Dora the Explorer", "Go, Diego, Go!") and produced at Nickelodeon Animation Studios in Burbank, California.

Fans can watch brand-new episodes of "Shimmer and Shine" all this week at 4:30pm, then every Monday at 4:30pm from 16th November 2015, only on Nick Jr. UK & Ireland. Online at nickjr.co.uk, parents and children can discover fun creative activities, find out more about "Shimmer and Shine", as well watch clips from the show.

Check out these photos from Nickelodeon UK's magical "Shimmer and Shine" launch party in London below!:

"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2" To Be "Massive" In Toys

Nickelodeon believes Nickelodeon Movies, Paramount Pictures and Platinum Dunes' "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2", the upcoming sequel is set to make waves in the toy space in 2016!


"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Half Shell", a sequel to Nick and Paramount's 2014 fun-filled and action-packed blockbuster "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" movie, lands in UK cinemas in June 2016, and with characters Bebop and Rocksteady set to make an appearance, Nickelodeon is confident it will be a hit in cinemas and on shelves.

"The first movie was a huge success and the next installment will bring us Casey Jones along with fan favourites Bebop and Rocksteady," said Marianne James, Vice President, Consumer Products UK and Ireland and European Retail Sales and Marketing at Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products (NVCP).

"It's going to be massive with a toy and action figure range to complement the release. We are very excited at developing the movie franchise with all new product and retail activations."

General Krang, a commanding warlord in Dimension X in the popular "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" comic book series, is also rumoured to be making a appearance in "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II". According to reports, the character will be rendered using CGI.

J.J. Redick, along with a number of other players from the Los Angeles Clippers and the New York Knicks, will also appear in "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Half Shell".

Additionally, "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" comic writers Tom Waltz, Kevin Eastman, and Bobby Curnow have promised to deliver something different and brought on new artist Ken Garing of "Planetoid" for the next few issues of IDW Publishing's "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" comic book series.

The Foot Clan is gone after Karai failed to restore honor to the ancient clan. The Shredder is fighting against Splinter and his sons, the Ninja Turtles. Karai turns authority of the clan over to Splinter, who is the reincarnation of the ancient Foot ninja Hamato Yoshi.
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Iginio Straffi Announces Plans For "Winx Club" Season 8!

Iginio Straffi, the creator of "Winx Club", has announced in a super interview with The Pocket Mama during the Winx Club Worldwide Reunion in September 2015, that Rainbow S.r.l. are planning to produce a eighth season of the popular animated series "Winx Club", and that season eighth is currently in the writing stages! Iginio also revealed that a fourth "Winx Club" movie will be released in 2017!


In the interview, Iginio also talks about the upcoming "Winx Club" spin-off series "World of Winx", co-produced with Netflix.

In "World of Winx", the fairies embark on an undercover journey all around the world looking for talented kids in art, sports, music and science. These kids have their own kind of magic, and the Winx Club fairies are enchanted by them though it doesn't take long before trouble sets in, and a new and dangerous mystery for Bloom and the others to solve arrives. There will be a Netflix stamp on the storylines in the spinoff, which will be more serialized to fit the binge viewing patterns of the streaming company's customers.

The new series is produced by Italian animation studio Rainbow. "World of Winx", formally titled "Winx Club WOW", will be exclusively available in all Netflix territories, including France and Germany. The first of the two seasons, each comprising 13 22-minute episodes, are slated to be available by early 2016 with the second to follow in the fall.

Nickelodeon also recently acquired the global broadcast rights to Rainbow's major new children's property "Regal Academy", set to debut in 2016.

"Winx Club" season seven premieres on Nick Jr. USA on Sunday 22nd November 2015 at 10:30am ET/PT.

Original source: Winx Club Wiki member BelieveInMagic814.
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Sneak Peek Of New "Power Rangers Dino Charge" Episode "World Famous! (in New Zealand)", Premiering 11/14 On Nickelodeon USA

To celebrate Nickelodeon USA premiering the brand new "Power Rangers Dino Charge" episode "World Famous! (in New Zealand)" on Saturday 14th November 2015 at 12:00pm ET/PT, the official "Power Rangers" YouTube channel has unveiled a fantastic sneak peek preview from the all-new PRDC episode, which you can watch in the super online streaming video clip below!:



In the brand-new "Power Rangers Dino Charge" episode "World Famous! (in New Zealand)" (#517), when one of Sledge's (Adam Gardiner) transport pods is spotted in New Zealand, the Rangers head to Auckland and are shocked to discover the existence of a new Ranger.

Additional sources: Zap2it TV Listings, TheFutonCritic.com, the Super Sentai and Power Rangers wiki.
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Blake Shelton Slimed in Slow-Motion - Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards 2016

Country music superstar Blake Shelton ("The Voice") is hosting the Nickelodeon 2016 Kids' Choice Awards LIVE on Saturday, March 12, 2016! Watch him get slimed in epic slow-motion video! Blake's gonna need some towels:


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Say WHATTT?! With Reptar

Do the "Rugrats" know that Reptar's roars have many deep, underlying meanings? Check out Reptar's roaring translations in the way-cool video below:



Watch The Splat every night from 10:00pm ET/PT on TeenNick USA! #TheSplat!
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No More Pilots! - "Game Shakers"

MAYDAY! The Game Shakers are in big trouble when their pilots decide to take off in this clip from "Trip Steals The Jet"!:



Watch brand-new episodes of "Game Shakers" every Monday at 6:00pm on Nickelodeon UK and Ireland/HD and every Saturday at 8:30pm ET/PT on Nick USA!
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Taveeta Szymanowicz - Since Season One Of "Make It Pop"

From travelling to Nicaragua to hanging out at music festivals, Taveeta Szymanowicz kept busy in the gap filming season one and season two of "Make It Pop"!:



Watch "Make It Pop" on Nickelodeon and YTV.
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Know Your Loaves - Official "Breadwinners" Mashup

Time to get some bread knowledge up in yo noggin!



Catch the brand-new "Breadwinners" episode "Trash Bandit"/"Eat at Pumpers", premiering Sunday 15th November 2015 at 11:30am ET/PT, only on Nickelodeon USA!
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Nickelodeon USA To Premiere "Game Shakers" Christmas Special "A Reggae Potato Christmas" On 11/28

The television news website The Futon Critic is reporting the exciting news that Nickelodeon USA will premiere the brand-new "Game Shakers" Christmas special "A Reggae Potato Christmas" on Saturday 28th November 2015 at 8:30pm ET/PT!


In the all-new "Game Shakers" Christmas special, "A Reggae Potato Christmas" (#111), the Game Shakers visit Double G (Kel Mitchell) on the set of his live, self-indulgent Christmas special!

Additional source: Digiguide.
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Nickelodeon USA To Premiere Brand-New "Blaze And The Monster Machines" Movie "Race To The Top Of The World" On Monday 23rd November 2015

Nickelodeon USA has announced the exciting news in their new trailer, below, that Nick USA will premiere the brand-new "Blaze and the Monster Machines" movie "Race to the Top of the World" on Monday 23rd November 2015 at 7:00pm ET/PT!



Greetings from the Pyramids! Blaze and his friends are revving up for a race around the globe. Coming November 23 at 7pm/6c to Nickelodeon USA.

In the brand-new "Blaze and the Monster Machines" primetime movie event "Race to the Top of the World", the whole world is their race track! When Crusher throws Blaze and his friends off course during an epic race, they must persevere to make it to the finish line.

Additional source: Zap2it TV Listings.
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Race Of The Century - "Blaze And The Monster Machines"

It's monster machine mayhem in the Jackson family living room! "Blaze and the Monster Machines" toys are featured in this awesome video made by Hey Reginer Productions:



Catch "Blaze and the Monster Machines", only on Nickelodeon and Nick Jr.!
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Genie-tude - "Shimmer and Shine"

Does your child have that can-do attitude, even when things don't always go as planned? Find out if they have genie-tude! Join "Shimmer and Shine" for spectacular adventures weekdays at 4:30pm on Nick Jr. UK & Ireland and at 11:30am ET/PT on Nickelodeon USA!:


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"Drop That" (Music Video) - "Game Shakers"

Double G (Kel Mitchell) performs "Drop That" at the Game Shakers launch party! Watch brand-new episodes of "Game Shakers" every Monday at 6:00pm on Nickelodeon UK and Ireland/HD and every Saturday at 8:30pm ET/PT on Nick USA!:


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Sneak-Peek Of Brand-New "SpongeBob SquarePants" Episode "Company Picnic", Premiering Thursday 12th November 2015 On Nicktoons UK

It's the Krusty Krab Company Picnic and Plankton seems to have invaded Mr Krabs' spot! Plankton shows off the luxuries that he provides to all of his employees, but something smells a little fishy... Catch brand-new episodes of "SpongeBob SquarePants" all this week at 7:30am, only on Nicktoons UK and Ireland!:


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Sneak Peek Of New "Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn" Episode "Quaddy-Shack", Premiering 11/11 On Nickelodeon USA

To celebrate Nickelodeon USA premiering the brand-new "Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn" episode "Quaddy-shack" on Wednesday 11th November 2015 at 7:30pm (ET/PT), as part of "Spot It!" night, Nick USA has unveiled a super sneak peek preview of the all-new episode, which you can watch in the fantastic online streaming video clip here on Nick.com!


In the brand-new NRDD episode "Quaddy-shack" (#218), Ricky (Casey Simpson) befriends a group of sophisticated country club children who challenge the quads to a high-stakes mini-golf match. In the super sneak peek, titled "The Mini Golf Club", the local country club snobs come to inspect Tom's (Brian Stepanek) new golf course.

Additional source: Zap2it TV Listings.
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Sneak Peek Of New "Bella And The Bulldogs" Episode "Dudes & Chicks", Premiering 11/11 On Nickelodeon USA

To celebrate Nickelodeon USA premiering the brand-new "Bella and the Bulldogs" episode "Dudes & Chicks" on Wednesday 11th November 2015 at 8:30pm (ET/PT), as part of "Spot It!" night, Nick USA has unveiled a super sneak peek preview of the all-new episode, which you can watch in the fantastic online streaming video clip here on Nick.com!


In the brand-new "Bella and the Bulldogs" episode "Dudes & Chicks" (#207), Bella (Brec Bassinger) takes an interest in Sawyer's (Jackie Radinsky) cousin but an incident from her past threatens the budding friendship; Sophie (Lilimar Hernandez), Troy (Coy Stewart) and Newt (Buddy Handleson) try to save baby Chicks from an awful fate. In the super sneak peek, titled "Dream Bae", Bella remembers Sawyer's cousin, Charlie, as a mean kid who spilled juice on her dress when they were kids. But Charlie's all grown up, and Bella can't help but notice!

Additional source: Zap2it TV Listings.
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Sneak Peek Of New "The Thundermans" Episode "No Country For Old Mentors", Premiering 11/11 On Nickelodeon USA

To celebrate Nickelodeon USA premiering the brand-new "The Thundermans" episode "No Country for Old Mentors" on Wednesday 11th November 2015 at 8:00pm ET/PT, as part of "Spot It!" night, Nick USA has unveiled a super sneak peek preview of the all-new episode, which you can watch in the fantastic online streaming video clip here on Nick.com!


In the brand-new "The Thundermans" episode "No Country for Old Mentors" (#312), a tech savvy superhero named "Tech Rider" (guest starring Carlos PenaVega ("Big Time Rush", "Webheads")) becomes Phoebe's (Kira Kosarin) mentor. However, despite hoping to be matched with her favorite hero in the Superhero Mentor Program, Phoebe feels pressure to choose her father instead. In the super sneak peek, titled "Phoebe Hearts Techrider", Phoebe really wants Techrider as her mentor, but she's pressured to pick her dad. So Max (Jack Griffo) and Dr. Colosso are here to save the day!

Additional source: Zap2it TV Listings
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Sneak Peek Of Brand-New "SpongeBob SquarePants" Episode "Patrick! The Game"/"The Sewers Of Bikini Bottom", Premiering 11/11 On Nickelodeon USA

To celebrate Nickelodeon USA premiering the brand-new "SpongeBob SquarePants" episode "Patrick! the Game"/"The Sewers of Bikini Bottom" (#194) on Wednesday 11th November 2015 at 7:00pm ET/PT as part of "Spot It!" night, Nick USA has unveiled a fantastic sneak peek preview from the upcoming all-new "SpongeBob SquarePants" episode, which you can watch in the Sponge-Tastic online streaming video clip here on Nick.com!


In the brand-new "SpongeBob SquarePants" episode "Patrick! the Game", Patrick invents a new board game and invites SpongeBob, Sandy and Squidward to play it with him. Then, in "The Sewers of Bikini Bottom", after accidentally flushing Mr. Krabs' safe, SpongeBob and Squidward must go into the sewers to find it. In the super sneak peek, when Squidward watches over the Krusty Krab, his top priority is to make sure everything is spotless!

Additional sources: Zap2it TV Listings, TheFutonCritic.com.
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