Hasbro to Acquire Entertainment One Adding Brands and Expanding Storytelling Through Global Entertainment

Hasbro to Acquire Entertainment One Adding Brands and Expanding Storytelling Through Global Entertainment

• Accelerates Hasbro’s Brand Blueprint strategy by adding eOne’s family brands, exceptional, proven TV and film expertise and veteran executive leadership
• Adds beloved global preschool brands, Peppa Pig and PJ Masks, as well as a slate of additional brands in development, including newly introduced Ricky Zoom, to Hasbro’s robust brand portfolio
• Dramatically enhances storytelling capabilities and franchise economics in TV, film and other mediums to strengthen Hasbro’s brands
• Improves Hasbro’s growth outlook and enhances long-term profitability through in-sourcing and cost synergies as well as future revenue growth opportunities

PAWTUCKET, R.I. & LONDON--Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) and Entertainment One Ltd. (LSE: ETO) (eOne) today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Hasbro will acquire eOne in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately £3.3 billion or US$4.0 billion. Under the terms of the agreement, eOne shareholders will receive £5.60 in cash for each common share of eOne, which represents a 31% premium to eOne’s 30-day volume weighted average price (VWAP) as of August 22, 2019.

The news follows Sony naming Hasbro as the new global master toy licensee for Ghostbusters.

“The acquisition of eOne adds beloved story-led global family brands that deliver strong operating returns to Hasbro’s portfolio and provides a pipeline of new brand creation driven by family-oriented storytelling, which will now include Hasbro’s IP,” said Brian Goldner, Hasbro chairman and chief executive officer. “In addition, Hasbro will leverage eOne’s immersive entertainment capabilities to bring our portfolio of brands that have appeal to gamers, fans and families to all screens globally and realize full franchise economics across our blueprint strategy for shareholders. We are excited to welcome eOne’s talented employees from around the world into the Hasbro family.”

“On behalf of the board of eOne, I am very pleased by this exciting development, which is a testament to eOne management’s vision, leadership and solid execution. This transaction creates significant, immediate value for our shareholders as it recognizes the strength of our future-facing business model,” said Allan Leighton, eOne’s chairman of the board.

“Hasbro’s portfolio of integrated toy, game and consumer products, will further fuel the tremendous success we’ve achieved at eOne,” said Darren Throop, chief executive officer of eOne. “There’s a strong cultural fit between our two companies; eOne’s stated mission is to unlock the power and value of creativity which aligns with Hasbro’s corporate objectives. eOne teams will continue to do what they do best, bolstered by the access to Hasbro’s extensive portfolio of richly creative IP and merchandising strength. In addition, the resulting expanded Hasbro presence in Canada through eOne’s deep roots will bring world class talent and production capabilities to Hasbro. Along with our leadership team, I look forward to working with Hasbro on our joint growth and success for many years to come.”

“By combining two profitable and financially disciplined companies we expect to unlock value in the short- and long-term for our stakeholders,” said Deborah Thomas, Hasbro’s chief financial officer. “eOne’s brands and TV and film expertise, together with Hasbro’s brands, toy and game innovation and licensing capabilities, positions us to more quickly drive revenue and profit over the medium-term. We remain committed to maintaining an investment grade rating and returning to our gross Debt to EBITDA target of 2.00 to 2.50X.”

The acquisition will advance Hasbro’s position as a leading global play and entertainment company, adding beloved, global preschool brands with proven success and strong financial returns across platforms to Hasbro’s robust portfolio. eOne’s capabilities to bring high-quality content across platforms will strengthen Hasbro’s end-to-end ability to monetize and bring to market its IP in increasingly attractive new formats, including over-the-top (OTT) and premium platforms, music, location-based entertainment, AR and VR.

Strategic Rationale

Enhances Hasbro’s brand portfolio with two beloved global preschool brands and an attractive slate of brands in development

• The acquisition of highly profitable and merchandisable preschool brands is a strategic growth opportunity for Hasbro in the Infant and Preschool category, the largest super-category in the toy and game industry in the G11 markets, according to the NPD Group
• Peppa Pig is an evergreen property that has thrived for over a decade and extended itself to new profit streams that continue its success
• PJ Masks growth outlook is supported by new formats, its current rollout in China, the launch of new seasons in multiple regions, a live touring event and new toy lines
• A slate of additional brands is under development, including Ricky Zoom, a unique storyline with highly merchandisable content airing on Nickelodeon in the US and other top-tier global networks beginning Sept. 9, 2019

Adding exceptional, proven TV and film expertise

• By developing, owning and strategically distributing content, the acquisition positions Hasbro to capture more franchise economics created and perpetuated by differentiated platforms
• eOne brings profitable, growing capabilities in scripted and unscripted TV development and production for global audiences
• Live action and animation present multiple avenues to bring Hasbro’s franchises to life as OTT platforms and networks are increasingly interested in new, unexploited intellectual property while studios reclaim content for proprietary platforms
• In film, eOne has been transforming its business to focus on high-quality premium talent-driven content, including titles like Clifford the Big Red Dog and Monster Problems
• eOne’s Canadian TV and film operations will continue as a distinct Canadian-controlled business within the combined business

Leveraging talented executive team across all areas of entertainment and strong Canadian presence

• Top eOne executives have agreed to join the Hasbro team
• eOne’s seasoned entertainment executives with deep talent relationships and creative drive will further strengthen Hasbro’s talented team
• Global organization, with presence in London, Los Angeles, Toronto, New York, Hong Kong, Melbourne and Shanghai
• eOne’s Canadian presence is an important base for creative talent and best-in-class studio capabilities, significantly expanding Hasbro’s Canadian presence and positioning eOne for ongoing success in Canada, including in relation to its robust pipeline of television and film projects
• The transaction is structured to ensure that eOne’s Canadian operations will continue to meet applicable Canadian control regulatory requirements in relation to television and film production companies, to the continued benefit of the Canadian television and film production industry

Financial Benefits

Creates opportunities for accelerating long-term profitable growth

• Hasbro expects to realize in-sourcing and other global annual run rate synergies of approximately US$130 million by 2022, driven by integration benefits, substantial savings from moving a significant portion of eOne’s toy business in-house and enhancing the profitability of eOne’s licensing and merchandising activities
• The addition of eOne to Hasbro is expected to be accretive to adjusted EPS in the first year following the transaction, adjusted to exclude one-time transaction costs and purchased intangible amortization, with mid- to high-teens accretion to adjusted EPS in the third full year following the closing of the transaction as synergies are achieved (1)
• Meaningful potential for additional revenue growth and expanded franchise economics with brand-driven animation and live action TV and film entertainment
• Hasbro cannot, without unreasonable effort, forecast certain items required to develop a meaningful comparable GAAP financial measure to adjusted EPS. See “Use of non-GAAP financial measures” below for further discussion

Transaction Details

The cash purchase price of £5.60 per share represents a 31% premium to eOne’s 30-day volume weighted average price (VWAP) as of August 22, 2019.

Hasbro expects to finance the transaction with the proceeds of debt financing and approximately US$1.0 billion to US$1.25 billion in cash from equity financing. Hasbro has entered into a debt commitment letter with Bank of America Merrill Lynch to provide a 364-day senior unsecured bridge loan facility to secure funding of the purchase price.

Hasbro is committed to maintaining an investment grade rating. Hasbro’s long-term leverage target remains unchanged at 2.00 to 2.50X gross Debt to EBITDA and expects to return to this range in three to four years.

Hasbro expects to maintain its quarterly dividend and suspend its current share repurchase program while it prioritizes achieving its leverage target.

The transaction, which is structured as a statutory plan of arrangement under the Canada Business Corporations Act, has been approved by the boards of directors of each of Hasbro and eOne, and is subject to receipt of certain regulatory approvals, the approval by eOne shareholders and the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and other customary closing conditions. eOne is subject to customary non-solicitation provisions under the definitive agreement and a termination fee payable to Hasbro in certain circumstances. The transaction is expected to close during the fourth quarter of 2019.

The board of directors of eOne, after consultation with its financial advisors as to the financial terms of the transaction and its legal advisors, unanimously determined that the transaction is in the best interests of eOne and has recommended that eOne shareholders vote in favor of the transaction. eOne’s board of directors has received a fairness opinion from J.P. Morgan Cazenove in connection with the transaction to the effect that, as of the date of such opinion, and subject to the assumptions, limitations, qualifications and other matters set forth therein, the consideration to be paid to the eOne shareholders is fair, from a financial point of view, to such shareholders.

Centerview Partners LLC is serving as financial advisor to Hasbro and Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, Stikeman Elliott LLP and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP are serving as its legal counsel. J.P. Morgan Cazenove is serving as financial advisor to eOne and Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP and Mayer Brown International LLP are serving as its legal counsel.

A copy of the definitive agreement will be made available at eOne’s website at www.entertainmentone.com and with Hasbro’s filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

Investor Call Details

The two companies will host an investor conference call today, August 22, at 5:00 p.m. ET.

To listen to the live webcast and access the accompanying presentation slides, please go to https://investor.hasbro.com/. The replay of the call will be available on Hasbro’s web site approximately 2 hours following completion of the call.

Dial-in numbers for the call are 877-269-7756 (US) and 201-689-7817 (INTL). Please indicate you are calling for the Hasbro conference call. Please dial in 5 to 10 minutes prior to the start of the call.

About Hasbro

Hasbro (NASDAQ: HAS) is a global play and entertainment company committed to Creating the World's Best Play Experiences. From toys and games to television, movies, digital gaming and consumer products, Hasbro offers a variety of ways for audiences to experience its iconic brands, including NERF, MY LITTLE PONY, TRANSFORMERS, PLAY-DOH, MONOPOLY, BABY ALIVE, MAGIC: THE GATHERING and POWER RANGERS, as well as premier partner brands. Through its entertainment labels, Allspark Pictures and Allspark Animation, Hasbro is building its brands globally through great storytelling and content on all screens. Hasbro is committed to making the world a better place for children and their families through corporate social responsibility and philanthropy. Hasbro ranked No. 13 on the 2019 100 Best Corporate Citizens list by CR Magazine, and has been named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies® by Ethisphere Institute for the past eight years. Learn more at www.hasbro.com, and follow us on Twitter (@Hasbro) and Instagram (@Hasbro).

About Entertainment One

Entertainment One Ltd. (LSE: ETO) is a global independent studio that specialises in the development, acquisition, production, financing, distribution and sales of entertainment content. Entertainment One's diversified expertise spans across film, television and music production and sales, family programming, merchandising and licensing, and digital content. Through its global reach and expansive scale, powered by deep local market knowledge, Entertainment One delivers the best content to the world.

Entertainment One's robust network includes international feature film distribution company Sierra/Affinity; Amblin Partners with DreamWorks Studios, Participant Media, and Reliance Entertainment; Makeready with Brad Weston; unscripted television production companies Whizz Kid Entertainment and Renegade 83; live entertainment leaders Round Room Entertainment; world-class music labels Dualtone Music Group and Last Gang; and award-winning emerging content and technology studio Secret Location.

IMPORTANT NOTICE:

Not for release, publication or distribution in, into or from any jurisdiction where to do so would constitute a violation of the relevant laws or regulations of such jurisdiction.

Certain information contained in this announcement would have constituted inside information (as defined by Article 7 of MAR) prior to its release as part of this announcement. The person responsible for arranging release of this information on behalf of Entertainment One is Edward Parry.

The UK City Code on Takeovers and Mergers does not apply to Entertainment One as its registered office is in Canada.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release contain "forward-looking statements" with respect to both Hasbro and Entertainment One within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements may be accompanied by such words as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “project,” “target,” “will” and other words and terms of similar meaning. Among other things, these forward-looking statements include expectations concerning the proposed acquisition of Entertainment One by Hasbro; Hasbro’s beliefs relating to value creation as a result of the proposed acquisition; the expected timetable for completing the acquisition; benefits and synergies of the transaction; expected financial impact; dividend policy; future opportunities for the combined company; and de-leveraging plans, including the timing of actions to reduce indebtedness and Hasbro’s credit ratings and outlooks. Hasbro’s actual actions or results may differ materially from those expected or anticipated in the forward-looking statements due to both known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Specific factors that might cause such a difference include, but are not limited to: uncertainty as to whether the transaction will be completed in a timely manner or at all; the conditions precedent to completion of the transaction, including the approval of Entertainment One’s shareholders and the ability to secure applicable regulatory approvals in a timely manner or at all or on expected terms; uncertainty of whether Hasbro could achieve the expected benefits and synergies from the transaction and successfully integrate the operations of Entertainment One within the anticipated time frame or at all; risks of unexpected costs, liabilities or delays; integration difficulties, including the ability to retain key personnel; Hasbro’s ability to complete financings on satisfactory terms; Hasbro’s indebtedness, including the additional indebtedness that may be incurred in connection with the transaction; risks and uncertainties relating to the play and entertainment industries, including the retail landscape, distribution channels, consumer preferences, application of tariffs on Hasbro’s products, and other factors that may impact or alter Hasbro’s anticipated business plans, strategies and objectives; the effect of the announcement, pendency or consummation of the transaction on customers, employees, suppliers, partners and operating results; and other risks detailed from time to time in Hasbro’s filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The statements contained herein are based on Hasbro’s and Entertainment One’s current beliefs and expectations and speak only as of the date of this press release. Except as may be required by law, neither Hasbro nor Entertainment One undertakes any obligation to make any revisions to the forward-looking statements contained in this press release or to update them to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this press release. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

No profit forecasts or estimates

No statement in this press release is intended to be or is to be construed as a profit forecast or profit estimate.

No offer or solicitation

This press release is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell, or an invitation to subscribe for, purchase or exchange, any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, nor shall there be any sale, issuance, exchange or transfer of the securities referred to in this press release in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law.

Use of Non-GAAP financial measures

Within this press release, Hasbro includes certain forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures as defined under SEC rules. These forward-looking non-GAAP financial measures reflect management’s current expectations and beliefs regarding the potential benefits of the proposed transaction. Hasbro is not able to reconcile forward-looking non-GAAP measures to reported measures without unreasonable efforts because it is not possible to predict with a reasonable degree of certainty the actual impact or exact timing of items that may impact comparability. These items include business optimization, restructuring and foreign exchange rate changes, as well as other non-cash and unusual items that are difficult to predict in advance to include in a GAAP estimate. This is due to the unpredictable and uncontrollable nature of these reconciling items, which would require an unreasonable effort to forecast, and we believe would result in a range of projected values so broad as to be meaningless to investors. These non-GAAP measures should be considered in addition to, not as a substitute for, or superior to, net earnings or other measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP as more fully discussed in Hasbro financial statements and filings with the SEC. As used herein, "GAAP" refers to accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Disclaimer

J.P. Morgan Securities plc (which conducts its UK investment banking business as J.P. Morgan Cazenove) ("J.P. Morgan Cazenove") which is authorised in the United Kingdom by the Prudential Regulation Authority ("PRA") and regulated in the United Kingdom by the PRA and the Financial Conduct Authority, is acting as financial adviser exclusively for eOne and no one else in connection with the matters set out in this announcement and will not regard any other person as its client in relation to the matters set out in this announcement and will not be responsible to anyone other than eOne for providing the protections afforded to clients of J.P. Morgan Cazenove or its affiliates, nor for providing advice in relation to any matter referred to herein.

HAS-C

HAS-IR

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Update (10/17) - Official Hasbro press release via Business Wire:

Entertainment One Shareholders Vote to Approve Acquisition by Hasbro

PAWTUCKET, R.I.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) today announced that Entertainment One Ltd. (LSE: ETO) (eOne) shareholders have voted to approve the proposal for Hasbro to acquire eOne in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately £3.3 billion or US$4.0 billion, pursuant to the definitive arrangement agreement between the parties.

More than 99.9% of the votes cast at the eOne special meeting of shareholders held earlier today voted in favor of the transaction.

“We’re pleased that eOne shareholders support this transaction,” said Brian Goldner, chairman and chief executive officer of Hasbro. “Our two companies’ strategies are remarkably complementary, as we both build brands, creativity and storytelling. Together with eOne’s beloved global brands and expertise, we expect to leverage a combined portfolio with appeal to diverse audiences and consumers around the world.”

“In our commitment to unlocking the power and value of creativity, the combination of our two businesses makes perfect sense for eOne,” said Darren Throop, chief executive officer of eOne. “eOne has long been anchored by great IP, and we believe that with Hasbro’s world-class portfolio of brands we will be able to deliver on their brand blueprint with a slate of content that lives globally across a broad spectrum of media. We are very much looking forward to capitalizing on the new opportunities this creates across film, television, music and family brands.”

The transaction, which is structured as a statutory plan of arrangement under the Canada Business Corporations Act, remains subject to receipt of certain regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions including a final order of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. The transaction has received several regulatory approvals so far, including early termination of the waiting period under the Hart Scott Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act in the U.S. and antitrust approval in Germany. The transaction is expected to close during the fourth quarter of 2019.

About Hasbro

Hasbro (NASDAQ: HAS) is a global play and entertainment company committed to Creating the World's Best Play Experiences. From toys and games to television, movies, digital gaming and consumer products, Hasbro offers a variety of ways for audiences to experience its iconic brands, including NERF, MY LITTLE PONY, TRANSFORMERS, PLAY-DOH, MONOPOLY, BABY ALIVE, MAGIC: THE GATHERING and POWER RANGERS, as well as premier partner brands. Through its entertainment labels, Allspark Pictures and Allspark Animation, Hasbro is building its brands globally through great storytelling and content on all screens. Hasbro is committed to making the world a better place for children and their families through corporate social responsibility and philanthropy. Hasbro ranked No. 13 on the 2019 100 Best Corporate Citizens list by CR Magazine, and has been named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies® by Ethisphere Institute for the past eight years. Learn more at www.hasbro.com, and follow us on Twitter (@Hasbro) and Instagram (@Hasbro).

About Entertainment One

Entertainment One Ltd. (LSE: ETO) is a global independent studio that specialises in the development, acquisition, production, financing, distribution and sales of entertainment content. Entertainment One's diversified expertise spans across film, television and music production and sales, family programming, merchandising and licensing, and digital content. Through its global reach and expansive scale, powered by deep local market knowledge, Entertainment One delivers the best content to the world.

Entertainment One's robust network includes international feature film distribution company Sierra/Affinity; Amblin Partners with DreamWorks Studios, Participant Media, and Reliance Entertainment; Makeready with Brad Weston; unscripted television production companies Whizz Kid Entertainment and Renegade 83; live entertainment leaders Round Room Entertainment; world-class music labels Dualtone Music Group and Last Gang; creator and publisher of original high quality film and television music Audio Network; and award-winning emerging content and technology studio Secret Location.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release contain "forward-looking statements" with respect to Hasbro within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements may be accompanied by such words as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “project,” “target,” “will” and other words and terms of similar meaning. Among other things, these forward-looking statements include expectations concerning the proposed acquisition of Entertainment One by Hasbro; the expected timetable for completing the acquisition; anticipated benefits and synergies of the transaction; and future opportunities for the combined company. Hasbro’s actual actions or results may differ materially from those expected or anticipated in the forward-looking statements due to both known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Specific factors that might cause such a difference include, but are not limited to: uncertainty as to whether the transaction will be completed in a timely manner or at all; the conditions precedent to completion of the transaction, including the ability to secure applicable regulatory approvals in a timely manner or at all or on expected terms; uncertainty of whether Hasbro could achieve the expected benefits and synergies from the transaction and successfully integrate the operations of Entertainment One within the anticipated time frame or at all; risks of unexpected costs, liabilities or delays; integration difficulties, including the ability to retain key personnel; Hasbro’s ability to complete financings on satisfactory terms; Hasbro’s indebtedness, including the additional indebtedness that may be incurred in connection with the transaction; risks and uncertainties relating to the play and entertainment industries, including the retail landscape, distribution channels, consumer preferences, application of tariffs on Hasbro’s products, and other factors that may impact or alter Hasbro’s anticipated business plans, strategies and objectives; the effect of the announcement, pendency or consummation of the transaction on customers, employees, suppliers, partners and operating results; and other risks detailed from time to time in Hasbro’s filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The statements contained herein are based on Hasbro’s current beliefs and expectations and speak only as of the date of this press release. Except as may be required by law, Hasbro does not undertake any obligation to make any revisions to the forward-looking statements contained in this press release or to update them to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this press release. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

No offer or solicitation

This press release is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell, or an invitation to subscribe for, purchase or exchange, any securities or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, nor shall there be any sale, issuance, exchange or transfer of the securities referred to in this press release in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law.

HAS-C
HAS-IR

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More Nick: CBS and Viacom to Combine into One Company, ViacomCBS Inc.!

Originally published: Thursday, August 22, 2019.

H/T: Kidscreen, The Hollywood Reporter.

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Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon News and Highlights!

The Magic Behind Salem the Cat on 'Sabrina the Teenage Witch'

The Chilling Adventures of Salem, Sabrina the Teenage Witch’s Cat

As the Netflix series returns, Vanity Fair presents us the true story of the 90s sitcom’s Salem Saberhagen: an indelible character brought to life through a combination of puppetry, animatronics, and a rotating cast of fussy felines.

Melissa Joan Hart as Sabrina, talks with Salem the cat in the 7th season of Sabrina the Teenage Witch. From Allstar Picture Library/Alamy.

Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina bears some resemblance to Sabrina the Teenage Witch, the series that enjoyed a 163-episode run, on ABC and then the WB in the U.S. and on Nickelodeon UK and CITV in the U.K., from 1996 to 2003.

Both were derived from the Archie spin-off comic-book series launched in 1971. Both center on the character of Sabrina, a witchy blonde teen who acquires magical powers on her sixteenth birthday.

But one is moody and murky where the other was mirthful; black magic compared to cheerful technicolor. Nowhere is this more evident than in each show’s treatment of Salem the cat.

On the Netflix series, which returns with nine new episodes April 5, Salem—played by a squad of cats trained by Ian Doig—has a supporting and so-far silent role as Sabrina’s familiar spirit. But on Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, Salem was one of the show’s stars and main attractions: a sardonic, talking cat, realized by a cadre of artists and experts through a combination of old-fashioned puppetry, animatronics, and the training and wrangling of several real cats—not to mention surely some of the finest feline-centric writing ever seen on television. The show’s wardrobe department was also tasked with fashioning Salem’s outfits, including several tuxedos.

According to the show’s lore, Salem Saberhagen was a hundreds-year-old warlock, sentenced to spend 100 years trapped in the body of a black American shorthair (though he was an orange tabby in the original comics) and stripped of his magical powers as punishment for attempted world domination. When not moaning about his fate or his fur-ball medicine, Salem reads The Economist, plays Risk, and poses as a woman on the Internet (“I like the attention”). He does a smooth rendition of “Witchcraft,” but has also developed a more cat-like appreciation for getting scratched behind the ears.

The character was the recipient of piles of adoring viewer fan mail and three consecutive Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards for Favorite Animal Star. Melissa Joan Hart (Clarissa Explains It All), who played Sabrina and co-produced the show, considered keeping a black sock in her pocket to wield as a puppet when fielding endless Salem-related enquiries in public. One crew member conveyed his impression that one of the show’s human stars was jealous of the attention lavished on the cat.

“That show owned a generation of, particularly, girls, you know?” said Nick Bakay, a Sabrina the Teenage Witch writer who also voiced Salem. “It’s the wish fulfillment of this talking cat. What teenager doesn’t want that hanging out in their room? A cat you can confide in?”

Salem in Netflix's *Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. By Diyah Pera/Netflix.

Bakay’s tones were dry as leftover kibble and well-suited to lines like “The sound of the can opener is the only thing that makes me feel truly alive.” They added a welcome wryness to the show’s laugh-tracked, family-friendly fare.

“It’s that weird thing where animals and puppets can kind of get away with murder,” said Bakay, who also voiced voiced Norbert in Nickelodeon's Angry Beavers. “Everyone else has to keep their act a little bit cleaner. The cat was very much the beneficiary of all those sort of little sideways pitches that might not have made it in if they were delivered from a human.”

As Bakay also pointed out, the character was inherently funny. “The great thing about the character is he’s a power madman who’s been consigned to live as a cat, as punishment for trying to take over the world. So, you know, that formula right there, it’s just hilarious. He’s gone from world domination to staring at a piece of lint floating by, on a pillow in a teenage girl’s bedroom. The bitterness is hilarious.”

Network executives were initially dubious about the Salem puppet, built out of foam rubber and rabbit fur by animal fabricator and puppeteer Jim Boulden for the show’s first season. Verisimilitude was not its strong point.

“ABC did not love the animatronic cat,” said Bakay. “And I get it: it’s not like it was going to fool anyone. But I think that it was part of the charm of the show—quaint, old-school practical magic and weird cat puppets. And for some reason, it kind of worked.”

There were two main animatronic Salem puppets: one fashioned in a sitting-up position, the other in a lying-down position. Both were operated by multiple puppeteers, two of whom were stationed comfortably off-set: Thom Fountain controlled the mouth movements, in sync with Bakay’s live voice performance, while Jim Greenall, who’d also designed the puppet’s mechanical components, controlled the ear and tail movements via remote control.

Mauri Bernstein was the puppeteer hidden on set, controlling Salem’s head and body movements. Her time on the show was spent mostly behind tables, beneath the sofa, or under Sabrina’s bed, with her arm over her head. “I had to go for massages with some regularity,” Bernstein told Vanity Fair, “to maintain the flexibility to get squished into various places.”

For a while, the trio was uncertain about whether Salem ought to behave in a more naturalistic or a more cartoonish fashion. “I think ultimately we came up with sort of something in the middle,” said Bernstein, “where he was definitely a comedy character, rooted in actual, literal cat behavior, but not limited to it.”

Eventually, the three puppeteers’ disparate efforts, plus Bakay’s live line-reads, synced up to form one cohesive feline performance. “We got it to the place where Salem worked as a unified whole,” said Bernstein. As she noted, a lot of younger viewers were indeed convinced Salem was entirely real. They would write in to the show: “How did you get it to talk?!”

The Salem puppet. By Bob D'Amico/ABC/Getty Images.

Having actual cats on set helped inform the realism of the puppeteers’ performances. Three main cats would typically play Salem over the course of any given episode, with several taking the role over the show’s run. They were wrangled and trained by a team led by Cathy Pittman, who scouted animals with “star quality” from animal shelters.

“We usually want the ones that nobody wants, the ones that are high energy, the ones that are outgoing,” said Pittman. “That’s why they end up in the pound. We channel that energy into training.”

With a special cat-food mixture as an enticement and reward—“kitty crack,” Pittman calls it—the cats would do pretty much anything they were called upon to do, from turning on a record player to riding an elephant to “driving” a toy Ferrari. One stunt that particularly impressed the cast and crew was Salem, wearing a fireman’s hat and coat, driving from one set to the other in a fire truck (“This is Red Eagle to squad leader,” he says) and climbing up the truck’s ladder to the kitchen counter before positioning himself before an open flame.

According to Hart, the set would reek of cat food by the end of a season. Pittman didn’t notice. “I’d been an animal trainer for a long time,” she explained. “It’s like dirty diapers to a parent.”

Different cats had different fortes. Witch was the agile action star who handled the most fur-raising stunts, while also relishing off-camera cuddles with Hart. There was a go-to crazy cat who was in fact named Salem, with the manic, volatile quality of a young Pacino. Elvis was the mellow one, exuding something like Buster Keaton’s stoicism in the face of chaos. “He would sit where he was supposed to sit,” said Bakay.

But it was the self-assured Warlock who had Hollywood in his sights, going on to roles in films as diverse as Scary Movie 2, The Prestige, and Team America: World Police. “He was a phenomenal cat,” said Pittman. “He loved the work.”

When they weren’t required on set, the cats hung out in their own trailer on the lot.

"I'm so happy, I could plotz!"

There were also a couple of stuffed, non-animatronic cats on Sabrina. They were used primarily as stand-ins during scene blocking and rehearsals, but were occasionally employed on camera if a scene required a fleeting Salem-shaped blur to shoot past the camera. They were named “Stuffy.”

Today, the original Salem puppet resides in Jim Boulden’s Camino Ranchero animal fabrication studio, frozen forever in mute mid-meow. Boulden still receives the occasional Salem-related fan mail, but screen work for sort-of, not-really convincing faux animals has dried up considerably. “The digital revolution replaced puppeteers like me,” said Boulden. “There’s just no funding for this kind of work anymore.”

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina series creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa has kept Salem quiet so far, though he’s been careful not to suggest that the character will never speak in the future.

“I was curious about what they were going to do about that,” said Bakay. “I was, you know, I have to admit, kind of relieved that they went the way they did.” Boulden sounded a little less certain: “Sabrina the Teenage Witch was a lighthearted romp of a show. The new version? Not so much.”

Aguirre-Sacasa has also hinted at the possibility of an episode delving into the backstory of the character.

Ultimately, though, it’s clear the Netflix series has no place for the older show’s particular brand of television magic, or the chemistry its Salem and Sabrina shared—not least because the new Sabrina, Kiernan Shipka, is allergic to cats. “I’m fine being in the same room as Salem,” she has said, “as long as I’m not continuously petting and touching him. He’s fine.”

Sit back and enjoy these classic Salem Saberhagen moments from Sabrina the Teenage Witch!:





More Nick: Sabrina the Teenage Witch | Intros with Lyrics | NickSplat | Nickelodeon UK!

Additional sources: Quote Catalog, Google.co.uk.

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Here’s our First Look at Salem the Cat in Netflix's 'Sabrina' Remake | Update: Miranda Otto Cast as Aunt Zelda; Richard Coyle Cast as Father Blackwood

Originally published: Saturday, February 10, 2018.

Feeling superstitious?

Robert Aguirre-Sacasa, the showrunner of Netflix's upcoming Sabrina series, has revealed our first look at everybody's favorite witch-turned cat, Salem, who’ll be starring in the show!

Ladies and gentlemen, meet #Greendale’s latest resident. All hail, Salem! #sabrina, #netflix

One of the best parts of the '90s Sabrina The Teenage Witch series was the personality that Nick Bakay (Angry Beavers) put into Salem Saberhagen, Sabrina’s wise-cracking cat "pet" cat, who wasn’t actually a cat but a witch who had been sentenced to live 100 years as a cat after trying to take over the mortal world.

Now, we get our first look at the Salem that’ll star in Netflix’s upcoming Riverdale spin-off, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, that’ll adapt the later Archie comics which sees Sabrina the Teenage Witch as a much more darker character that’ll have to save the mortal world from some supernatural horrors coming our way, so a little comic relief from Salem will probably be welcome.

Of course, right now this doesn’t really reveal that much other than Salem will continue to embody that of a black cat. No word yet on which lucky cat has landed this coveted role, or about who’ll be voicing Salem, if anyone at all. In the '90s Sabrina The Teenage Witch series, Salem was played by a series of real cats and animatronic cats.

Image credit: WBTV

What we do know for sure is that Kiernan Shipka is taking on the role of the teen witch along side Jaz Sinclair who’ll be playing the role of Rosalind Walker, Sabrina’s human best friend.

Update (2/16): Netflix’s upcoming Sabrina the Teenage Witch series has cast another key character from the comic books as one of the leads opposite Kiernan Shipka. Lucy Davis (Wonder Woman) has been tapped to play Hilda Spellman on the show from Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. TV.

Davis will play Hilda Spellman, one of Sabrina’s two witch aunts. More nurturing than Zelda, Hilda’s motherly nature and warm sense of humor belie a wicked, ghoulish streak. She is as adept at brewing spite jars against her family’s enemies as she is at concocting love potions for the students at Baxter High.

In the 1996 ABC/WB series, Hilda was played by Caroline Rhea.

Update (2/23): Miranda Otto (The Lord of the Rings, Homeland) will portray Aunt Zelda!

In the '90s series, Zelda was a much more stern-but-loving guardian, Hilda on the other hand was a much more easy-going, fun, and mischievous, however reports suggest the two will be played very differently in the new series. According to TV Line: “Proud and devout, Zelda believes there is no greater honor than serving the Dark Lord as a member of the Church of Night. She is the family’s disciplinarian, fiercely protective of Sabrina and very much Cain to Hilda’s Abel.”

As for Hilda Deadline reports that: “More nurturing than Zelda, Hilda’s motherly nature and warm sense of humor belie a wicked, ghoulish streak. She is as adept at brewing spite jars against her family’s enemies as she is at concocting love potions for the students at Baxter High.”

Netflix has also revealed that Richard Coyle (The Collection) has taken the role of Father Blackwood. Father Blackwood is a character that appears in the Archie Comics version of Sabrina, and not in the Nickelodeon series. He’s the High Priest of the Church of Night and Dean of the Academy of the Unseen Arts and will be the main antagonist in the upcoming Sabrina series.

The first of two seasons of The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is expected to premiere on Netflix worldwide later in 2018.

Earlier this week, original Sabrina star Melissa Joan Hart (Clarissa Explains It All) offered her thoughts on the teen-oriented reboot to Entertainment Weekly. When asked about how she feels about the reboot, the original portrayer of Sabrina Spellman said she felt “indifferent, really.”

“People kept asking for it, and they were already doing Riverdale, so I guess it made sense,” Hart continues. “I think they’re doing it in a smart way — change it up, don’t make it the same. If you’re going to do the same show, it probably would fall on its face, but I think what they’re doing is probably the smartest way to reboot something.”

Cast of '90s Sabrina The Teenage Witch sitcom

The Untitled Sabrina Project — from Riverdale boss Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Greg Berlanti — imagines the origin and adventures of Sabrina the Teenage Witch as a dark coming-of-age story that traffics in horror, the occult, and, of course, witchcraft. Tonally in the vein of Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist, this adaptation finds Sabrina wrestling to reconcile her dual nature — half-witch, half-mortal — while standing against the evil forces that threaten her, her family, and the daylight world humans inhabit.

Hart, who will next direct a February episode of ABC’s The Goldbergs, says she’s not opposed to appearing on, or even helming an episode of, the Netflix series, which recently scored a two-season pickup. “Never say never, but it would depend on the character they wrote,” Hart says. “I just don’t know where I would fit in. I would definitely take a look at the material if they sent it along.”

The Sabrina remake comes during a development season littered with various reboots, reimaginings, and revivals, including Nickelodeon's recent Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie, and upcoming Invader ZIM and Rocko’s Modern Life: Static Cling TV movies.

“Back in the day, it used to be that you took something that was successful and you did a twist on it,” Hart says of the current reboot trend. “Nowadays, everybody is just doing the same old stuff again. I think it’s a trend that will end, but then again, I said that with reality television, too, so who knows.”

Sit back and enjoy these classic Salem Saberhagen moments from Sabrina the Teenage Witch!:





Re-Re-ReWIND!: Visit nick.co.uk/nicksplat and nicktoons.co.uk/splat for even more Nickelodeon classics!

More Nick: Sabrina the Teenage Witch | Intros with Lyrics | NickSplat | Nickelodeon UK!

Sources: N3, Digital Spy (II), Fansided, n3rdabl3.

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Kiernan Shipka to Star as Sabrina in Netflix 'Riverdale' Spinoff

The untitled drama received a two-season order at the streaming giant in December.

Netflix has found its Sabrina!

Mad Men and Feud star Kiernan Shipka has been tapped to topline the two-season, straight-to-series Sabrina Riverdale spinoff.

Image credit: WBTV

The show will reimagine the origin and adventures of the comic book character Sabrina the Teenage Witch as a dark coming-of-age tale that traffics in horror, the occult and witchcraft. It's described as in the vein of Rosemary's Baby and The Exorcist and finds Sabrina wrestling to reconcile her dual nature as a half-witch, half-mortal while fighting the evil forces that threaten her, her family and the daylight world humans inhabit. The untitled drama's Sabrina Spellman is described as an empowered young woman, half-human, half-witch, who is just beginning her dark education as a sorceress, even as she tries to maintain a normal life as a sophomore at Baxter High. Intelligent, compassionate and brave to the point of recklessness, Sabrina is all that stands between us and the forces of darkness that threaten our world.

The untitled Sabrina drama was put in development at younger-skewing broadcaster The CW in September 2017. A casting search to play the reimagined teenage witch began almost immediately. Sources note that The CW and producers Warner Bros. Television had a list of actresses they eyed for the role. That was revisited, given the large 20-episode/two-season order and move to Netflix, with Shipka emerging as the top choice.

"We’re all such huge fans of Kiernan’s work that when we started talking about who this new incarnation of Sabrina could be, her name was on everyone’s wish list. This is a darker, more macabre version of Sabrina, and we’re incredibly excited for people to see Kiernan make this iconic character her own," said Riverdale executive producer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. Added Archie Comics CEO Jon Goldwater: “I am thrilled that Kiernan is playing Sabrina and have no doubt that she will embody the strength, courage and boldness that has made the character a fan favorite.”

Riverdale showrunner Aguirre-Sacasa, who also serves as chief creative officer of Archie Comics, penned the script. A Sabrina spinoff was originally eyed as a potential companion series for Riverdale to air in the 2018-2019 TV broadcast season. Aguirre-Sacasa will direct the drama and executive produce alongside Riverdale collaborators Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Goldwater and Lee Toland Krieger. The drama hails from Warner Bros. Television-based Berlanti Productions.

Shipka is best known for her seven-season role as Sally Draper on AMC's Mad Men. She most recently played B.D. Hyman, the teen daughter of Bette Davis, on FX's Feud. Her other credits include Nickelodeon's The Legend of Korra and Lifetime's Flowers in the Attic. She's repped by CAA, Anonymous Content and Sloane Offer.

Still no word if Sabrina will be joined by her wise-cracking cat, Salem Saberhagen. We can only hope!

More Nick: Sabrina the Teenage Witch | Intros with Lyrics | NickSplat | Nickelodeon UK!

Source: The Hollywood Reporter; H/T: Buzz.ie.

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'The Chilling Adventures Of Sabrina' Picked Up By Netflix With 2-Season Order

Sabrina the Teenage Witch is on the move. The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina series, originally put in development at the CW in September as a potential companion to Riverdale, has landed a 20-episode, two-season, straight-to-series order at streaming platform Netflix.

The now-untitled project, based on the Archie Comics graphic novel The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, comes from the same team as Riverdale: Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. TV. Aguirre-Sacasa, who penned the Riverdale pilot, and Lee Toland Krieger, who directed it, are reprising their roles on the Sabrina pilot episode.

While most other popular Archie Comics characters are in Riverdale, Sabrina the Teenage Witch had been conspicuously missing from the CW’s Archie-themed drama series, so it made sense when the network announced in September that it was developing a separate series about the young witch.

It is thought that Netflix gave producing studio Warner Bros. TV a two-season pickup offer it could not refuse following the success of Riverdale. The CW — which also has another female witch drama in the works, a Charmed reboot with Jane the Virgin creator Jennie Snyder Urman — had committed only to development. Additionally, by going with Netflix, WBTV is retaining full ownership of the Sabrina series. (Riverdale is a co-production with CBS TV Studios per the CW business model, and so would’ve been The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina had it stayed at the broadcast network.)

The series’ move is somewhat reminiscent to The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, originally picked up by NBC for a midseason run before Netflix stepped in with a two-season order. Netflix’s interest in Sabrina is not surprising. Riverdale has been a success story for both the CW and the streaming service, which has domestic SVOD rights to the dark, soapy drama and carries it internationally in many territories. Young viewers discovering and catching up on the first season over the summer by bingeing on Netflix is credited at least in part with Riverdale's strong ratings sophomore season performance on the CW this fall.

However, the relocation of the potential companion series will not allow the CW to build an Archie universe the way it has with the DC series, where characters frequently cross over. (The network has another offshoot in the works, the Supernatural spinoff Wayward Sisters, which will be introduced as a planted spinoff episode of the mothership series later this season.)

A dark drama in the horror genre, the new Sabrina series is worlds away from the bubbly 1996-2003 Sabrina, the Teenage Witch comedy series starring Melissa Joan Hart that aired on ABC and The WB in the US and Nickelodeon in the UK. The new project reimagines the origin and adventures of Sabrina the Teenage Witch as a dark coming-of-age story that traffics in horror, the occult and, of course, witchcraft. Tonally in the vein of Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist, this adaptation finds Sabrina wrestling to reconcile her dual nature — half-witch, half-mortal — while standing against the evil forces that threaten her, her family and the daylight world humans inhabit.

Aguirre-Sacasa executive produces the project with Krieger, Berlanti Prods.' Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter as well as Archie Comics' Jon Goldwater.

More Nick: The Cast Of 'Sabrina The Teenage Witch' Reunite At L.A. Comic Con 2017!

Original source: Deadline; H/T: SpoilerTV, The Sun.

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The Cast Of 'Sabrina The Teenage Witch' Reunite At L.A. Comic Con 2017

The cast of Sabrina the Teenage Witch reunited at L.A. Comic Con 2017 on Saturday and had plenty to say about the state of their characters in 2017!

The cast of Sabrina the Teenage Witch reunite at L.A. Comic Con 2017
Photo: Instagram /@nate.richert

Melissa Joan Hart, Nick Bakay, Caroline Rhea, Beth Broderick, Nate Richert, Alimi Ballard, David Lascher, Soleil Moon Frye, and Elisa Donovan all appeared on a panel moderated by EW’s Marc Snetiker, and the conversation turned to The CW’s upcoming Sabrina-centric Riverdale spinoff.

“We’re not involved… The rights reverted back to [Archie Comics], and they’re doing The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, which is a darker sort of twist,” said Hart, who played the eponymous magical adolescent for the duration of the seven-season series. “I think our show was about magic and family, and I think the new one — it sounds like, I have no idea — but the new one is going to be more about witchcraft, dark stuff. I think it sounds more Buffy the Vampire Slayer than it does Sabrina, so I think it will appeal to a different kind of audience and be a totally different show.”

Hart and her costars shared photos from the reunion on social media. “Missing some of our friends but having fun catching up after 20 years,” she wrote on Instagram. “Reunited,” Richert also posted.

The cast of #sabrinatheteenagewitch back together for the day at #LAComicCon. @alimiballard @nate.richert @bethabroderick @carolinerhea4real @moonfrye @reddonovan @dlasch27 #NickBakay. Missing some of our friends but having fun catching up after 20 years.

A post shared by Melissa Joan Hart (@melissajoanhart) on Oct 28, 2017 at 12:36pm PDT

Reunited.

A post shared by Nate Richert (@nate.richert) on Oct 28, 2017 at 10:45am PDT

Sabrina Panel @stanleecomiccon talking about my favorite episode. #sabrinareunion #lacc17

A post shared by Nate Richert (@nate.richert) on Oct 28, 2017 at 1:39pm PDT

Stan Lee’s L.A. Comic Con 2017 To Host "Sabrina The Teenage Witch" Cast Reunion

Sabrina Explains It All!

Cast of '90s Sabrina The Teenage Witch sitcom

Stan Lee’s L.A. Comic Con has announced the magical news that Melissa Joan Hart will be bringing the cast of her long time hit TV show Sabrina, The Teenage Witch to L.A. Comic Con 2017 for a must-see cast reunion and signing (pre-order autographs here!) on Saturday, October 28th!

Melissa is bringing Beth Broderick (Aunt Zelda), Nate Richert (Harvey Kinkle), Nick Bakay (voice of Salem Saberhagen the Cat in Sabrina, Norbert in Angry Beavers), Alimi Ballard (Quizmaster Albert), and of course her college roommates Morgan and Roxie - Clueless star Elisa Donovan and Punky Brewster herself Soleil Moon Frye. Soleil will also be bringing her toy company, Seedling/MoonFrye, who will be a vendor all weekend long!

Cast of Sabrina The Teenage Witch season six

The news follows Stan Lee’s L.A. Comic Con announcing that Los Angeles’ first and only large-scale multi-media pop culture convention will also be hosting the largest ever Fairly OddParents cast reunion on Sunday, October 29th!

Stan Lee’s L.A. Comic Con (formally Stan Lee's Comikaze Exp) is Los Angeles' ultimate pop-culture convention. Held annually at the Los Angeles Convention Center, the convention assembles the most exciting and innovative in comics, video games, sci-fi, fantasy, horror and all things pop-culture. This years Stan Lee’s L.A. Comic Con will take place between Friday, 27th-Sunday, 29th October 2017. Full information can be found on here on stanleeslacomiccon.com.

See also: Dark "Sabrina The Teenage Witch" Series in Development at CW From "Riverdale" Team!

Additional source: MUSE.

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Dark "Sabrina The Teenage Witch" Series in Development at CW From "Riverdale" Team

Sabrina the Teenage Witch could soon be returning to television.

The CW and Warner Bros. Television are developing a new one-hour drama based around the character for the 2018-2019 season, Variety has learned.

The potential series would be based on the Archie Comics series “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,” which reimagines the origin and adventures of Sabrina as a dark coming-of-age story that traffics in horror, the occult, and witchcraft. The series is described as being tonally in the vein of horror classics like Rosemary’s Baby and The Exorcist, and will see Sabrina wrestling to reconcile her dual nature as a half-witch, half-mortal while standing against the evil forces that threaten her, her family, and the daylight world humans inhabit.

Should the project move forward, it would serve as a companion series to Riverdale, the dark reimagining of the Archie Comics that puts Archie and the rest of his high school friends at the heart of a murder mystery.

Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, Chief Creative Officer of Archie Comics, will serve as writer and executive producer on Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Lee Toland Krieger, who has directed multiple episodes of Riverdale, will direct and executive produce. Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, and Jon Goldwater–all executive producers on Riverdale–will also executive produce. Berlanti Productions will produce in association with Warner Bros. TV.

The project has a good chance of being ordered to series, given Berlanti’s longstanding relationship with the network. He currently executive produces CW shows Riverdale, Legends of Tomorrow, Arrow, The Flash, and Supergirl. He will also executive produce the upcoming CW series Black Lightning.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina was spunoff into its own comic book series after the character played a significant role in the comic series Afterlife with Archie. Melissa Joan Hart previously played the character in the live-action, multi-cam series Sabrina the Teenage Witch, which aired for seven seasons. In the US, the series' first four seasons aired on ABC from September 27, 1996, to May 5, 2000, with the final three seasons being ran on The WB from September 22, 2000, to April 24, 2003.

Cast of '90s Sabrina The Teenage Witch sitcom

In the UK, Sabrina the Teenage Witch ran from 1997 to the mid-noughties, and quickly became a top show on Nick, often winning Watch Your Own Wednesdays, Watch Your Own Weekends, Watch Your Own Weeks, and Head 2 Head battles.

No word if Salem Saberhagen will be reprising his role as Sabrina's magical talking cat.

More Nick: A Look Back At Sabrina the Teenage Witch | NickSplat | Nickelodeon UK!

Sources: Daily Mail Online, Heat World.

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Viacom, Discovery, AMC, Scripps & A+E Networks Reportedly Planning To Soft Launch Skinny Streaming Service Soon

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that a group of media companies, including Viacom Inc (VIAB, VIA), Discovery Communications Inc (DISCA), AMC Networks Inc. (AMCX), Scripps Networks Interactive Inc (SNI) and A+E Networks, co-owned by Walt Disney Company (DIS) and Hearst, are joining together to create a skinny sports-free streaming service that will have a "soft launch" in the coming weeks. The report suggests that leaving out sports, which is the most expensive type of programming, will allow the service to keep the price tag under $20 per month.

Viacom CEO Bob Bakish has long insisted this product was on the way. (André-Pierre du Plessis/Flickr)

Many streaming packages include a number of live sports channels, but Viacom, Discovery, and the other companies involved believe there's a market for an entertainment-focused bundle. According to the report, the package will include "nonfiction and lifestyle programming, children’s fare, and scripted dramas."

While the exact list of networks and channels hasn't been finalized, sources say the parent companies expect their core channels to be part of the forthcoming bundle. Viacom owns Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., TeenNick, Nicktoons, MTV, Comedy Central and BET, while AMC and A+E each have their own suites of networks. Aside from its namesake channel, Discovery owns several others, including ID, TLC and Animal Planet. Meanwhile, Scripps, which Discovery is on the verge of acquiring for $14.6 billion, is the parent of channels including HGTV and Food Network.

Today’s report provides some additional color for a product that Viacom CEO Bob Bakish has insisted is in the works and scheduled for release in the coming year. Back in May, Bakish criticized current TV streaming bundles for not being "transformational" enough. He explained he believes the truly transformational services will be those that give customers "a new entry segment at a much lower price point," possibly with optional sports programming. Current services offered by YouTube and Hulu include a number of sports networks and are priced between $35 and $40 per month. A new service at a $20-per-month price could be enticing for some users, particularly those who lament paying for sports programming they never watch. “We fundamentally believe a lower-price offering would be very compelling,” said Bakish, adding that it would likely not involve all of Viacom’s channels.

The decision taken by the consortium of media companies to join forces makes sense on several levels. Firstly, the frequent inclusion of sports programming in cable TV packages has attracted plenty of controversy as many of these channels are responsible for pushing up subscription costs. This situation has angered plenty of non-sport fans, who are forced to fork out extra for channels they have little interest in watching.

Furthermore, some of the companies behind this new, non-sports streaming service have been left out of popular skinny bundles offered by the likes of YouTube and Hulu. Banding together could help to increase their exposure, particularly if their non-sports offering strikes a chord with consumers.

The new bundle is said to be provided through a service called Philo, which has focused on providing TV streaming services to college campuses. The bundle could also be named "Philo" as well, but it won't be known for sure until the product is announced. The package will likely include popular channels from Viacom, including Viacom's Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., TeenNick, Nicktoons, MTV, and BET; Discovery-owned ID, TLC, and Animal Planet; and Scripps-owned Food Network and HGTV (Discovery is in the process of acquiring Scripps as well). As Viacom CEO Bakish has noted before, and as today's report indicates, that still leaves out a bunch of entertainment programming from broadcast networks including ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC. Customers would require users to use an antenna in order to provide them with over-the-air signals to get those channels or pay for another subscription service that includes them.

The report also suggests that the founding media companies will launch the service as a direct-to-consumer package and then try to get established pay-TV providers to offer similar streaming packages to their customers. That will likely be difficult and take a lot of negotiations: some major media companies including Disney have agreements with pay-TV providers that state certain channels must be included in packages that reach a large percentage of subscribers. That makes it hard for TV providers to exclude those channels from any subscription tiers.

Nickelodeon launched its own standalone ad-free, video subscription service for preschoolers called NOGGIN in the spring of 2015, the SVOD features hundreds of iconic, full-length library episodes, interactive play-along videos, short-form videos, educational content, music videos featuring preschoolers’ favorite Nickelodeon characters, and more, with new content added weekly.

Consistently ranking at the top of the charts in the Family and Kids categories, the NOGGIN App is one of the top 10 grossing Kids apps on the Apple App Store, in addition to being the number-one grossing app for Music and Video in the Family Category on Google Play. The app is also available for Apple TV, Amazon Fire tablets, and Roku devices. Launched in the spring of 2015, the app currently includes 25 series, including the recently added Yo Gabba Gabba!, Trucktown, Miffy and Friends and Teletubbies. Other titles include Dora the Explorer, Blue’s Clues, Go, Diego, Go! (a Dora the Explorer spinoff), Franklin, The Backyardigans and Pocoyo. Also joining the lineup soon are Zack & Quack (26 episodes) and Peppa Pig (44 episodes) in October and November, respectively.

Sources: Ars Technica, Investopedia, FierceCable.

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Dan Schneider To Shoot Pilot For New Show In July 2017

Nickelodeon star Sheldon Bailey, who plays Ruthless on Nick's hit original comedy series Game Shakers, has revealed in a exclusive interview with Reel Life With Jane that Nickelodeon TV show creator Dan Schneider is planning to film a pilot for a potential brand-new show in July 2017!

It is currently unknown whether Schneider's Bakery's pilot will be for a potential new series for Nickelodeon or another network.

You can read Sheldon's super interview with Reel Life With Jane, in which the actor also talks about the second season of Nickelodeon's hit sitcom, as well as his roles on Shameless and a upcoming new movie, and working for Dan Schneider, here on reellifewithjane.com. You can also listen to the interview here on Sports Palooza Radio.



Catch Sheldon Bailey as Ruthless in brand-new episodes of Game Shakers season two, Saturdays at 8:30pm ET/PT, only on Nickelodeon USA!

Huge thanks to @PlanetNickNL for the news!

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AwesomenessTV Releases Trailer For Second Season Of Netflix’s "Project MC2"

Original AwesomenessTV Press Release:

AwesomenessTV Releases Trailer for Second Season of Netflix’s “Project MC2”

Today, AwesomenessTV released their trailer for “Project MC2” which premiered today on Netflix. The Daytime Emmy-nominated series follows McKeyla, Adrienne, Bryden, and Cameron as they use their S.T.E.A.M (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) skills to go undercover for NOV8, a top secret agency saving the world one science experiment at a time. In season two, a mysterious villain messes with Maywood Glenn's technology, causing the science-loving spies McKeyla, Adrienne, Bryden and Camryn to gear up for a new case.



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