'Street Fighter 6' Announces a Totally Tubular In-Game Collaboration with the Legendary 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'

Street Fighter™ 6 Announces a Totally Tubular In-Game Collaboration with the

Legendary Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

A.K.I., an All-New Street Fighter 6 Character to Be Released Later This Year, Was Also Introduced at Evo With World Tour Video and Release Window

Congratulations to all the amazing competitors who battled it out to become the best of the best at Evolution Championship Series (Evo) 2023! For fans in attendance and those watching live around the world, Street Fighter™ 6 dropped a shelltastic announcement with the unveil of an in-game collaboration with the leanest, meanest, and greenest turtles out there – the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Starting on August 8, 2023, Street Fighter 6 players will be able to style their custom avatars with new TMNT gear and emotes, apply fun new Titles, send TMNT stamps to the chat, customize their in-game mobile wallpaper and camera frames, and even turn their World Tour and Battle Hub custom avatar into their favorite Turtle! High Three!

 

Evo also marked the captivating debut of the mysterious A.K.I., soon to be the 20th playable Street Fighter 6 character, with her first in-game cinematic footage from the single-player World Tour mode as a surprise stinger for the crowd. A.K.I. will be released in Fall 2023 and we’ll have much more to share about her at a later date.

To check out both the TMNT and A.K.I. reveal trailers, please visit YouTube (TMNT trailer, A.K.I. trailer), and for the latest assets and information on Street Fighter 6, visit the official Street Fighter 6 website and Capcom Press Center.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles collaboration is the second branded partnership within Street Fighter 6 since its release in June 2023, following a collaboration with Onitsuka Tiger at launch. The TMNT collaboration invites players to show off their Turtle fandom in various fun ways, while also decking out the in-game social center – Battle Hub – with TMNT banners, signage, and trailers. The heroes in a half shell are also starring in their latest movie, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, in theaters now from Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies, and Point Grey Productions, and produced by Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and James Weaver.

Street Fighter 6 is the latest game in the storied Street Fighter franchise, representing the next evolution of the series with an all-new single player World Tour mode, a community-focused Battle Hub mode, and the culmination of core gameplay modes present via Fighting Ground. The game has already sold more than 2 million units worldwide. Players can purchase the Standard Edition, Deluxe Edition, or Ultimate Edition now on PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.

About Street Fighter 6

Street Fighter 6, having sold more than two million units since launch, is available now and represents the next evolution of the Street Fighter™ series with a combo of unique fighting game innovations, brimming with content across three brand new game modes – Fighting Ground, World Tour, and Battle Hub. Players around the world can get their hands on all the hard-hitting Street Fighter 6 action now on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.

 

About Paramount Consumer Products

Paramount Consumer Products oversees all licensing and merchandising for Paramount (Nasdaq: PARA, PARAA), a leading global media and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. Driven by iconic consumer brands, Paramount Consumer Products’ portfolio includes a diverse slate of brands and content from BET, CBS (including CBS Television Studios and CBS Television Distribution), Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures and SHOWTIME®. With properties spanning animation, live-action, preschool, youth and adult, Paramount Consumer Products is committed to creating the highest quality product for some of the world’s most beloved, iconic franchises. To view our range of consumer products and Paramount branded apparel, visit ParamountShop.com.

 

About Paramount Pictures

Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Paramount Global (NASDAQ: PARA, PARAA), a leading global media and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. Paramount Pictures has some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, and Paramount Players. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Entertainment, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.

 

Cowabunga!

Capcom PR Team

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Japanese trailer:

Classic Rugrats Comic Strip for August 8, 2023 | Nickelodeon

Classic Rugrats Comic Strip for August 8, 2023 | Nickelodeon

Stream the classic and the all new CG-animated Rugrats series on Paramount+! Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com!

Rugrats, provided to Creators Syndicate by Nickelodeon, based off the popular animated television series has been created for children and family's to laugh and enjoy together.

Follow these comics and their take on real episodes of the show and their own spin on hilarious adventures.

Read more Rugrats comic strips!: https://www.creators.com/features/rugrats

More Nick: Paramount+ Renews 'Rugrats' For Season 3!

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‘TMNT: Mutant Mayhem’ Leaps into Theaters with $43M Opening

Following a strong Tuesday (Aug. 1) preview turnout which brought in $3.85 million, and surfing atop a wave of critical praise and strong audience word of mouth, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem rode to a five-day opening of $43.073 million domestically. The $70M film surpassed post-preview estimates hovering around $30M-$40M; 16% of box office came from premium screens and 3D was 13%.

While the Turtles came in behind billion-dollar Barbie and Oppenheimer, Paramount Pictures/Nickelodeon Movies are looking forward to a cowabunga-worthy performance as TMNT:MM has yet to see a majority of its international market launches and won’t see major animated family flick competition until PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie opens in eight weeks.

TMNT:MM is currently sitting on the highest Rotten Tomatoes critic score for any animated film this year with 96% Fresh (edging out Sony/Marvel’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse at 95%) and boasts an audience score of 92% as of Monday (Aug. 7). Audience polls show kids and parents are enthusiastic in their ratings and recommends.

Audience & Reactions:

• 54% general audience/46% family
• 60% male/40% female
• 39% 18-34, 34% <18, 24% 35+
• 38% Cauc. / 34% Hisp. / 18% AA / 5% Asian / 5% NatAm other (62% multi-cultural)
• Ratings: 60% Excellent / 30% Very Good = 90% Total Positive for general audiences, 90% parents, and 95% kids
• Recommends: 69% definite recommend for general audience, 70% for parents, 66% must see for kids
• 4.5/5 stars on PostTrak for general audience and parents, kids were 5/5 stars; A CinemaScore
• 39% of the general audience and 53% of kids said it exceeded their expectations.

Catch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, only in theatres!

Stream Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on Paramount+! Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com!

Stream Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie on Netflix!

Subscribe to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles OFFICIAL YouTube channel - the ultimate home for all things TMNT! Here you’ll find Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael, and Donatello’s best moments from all your favorite TMNT series. Join the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in their fight against evil, and be the first to get notified of exclusive original content you won’t find anywhere else! https://at.nick.com/TMNTSubscribe

More Nick: ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ Movie Sequel and Paramount+ Series in the Works!

Statistics via Paramount, BoxOfficeMojo; original source: Animation Magazine.

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Paramount CEO Lays Out Strike Strategy of International Production and Sports

Bob Bakish notes CBS shift in fall slate to use “parallel network hits” like Yellowstone

Bob Bakish, President and CEO of Paramount Global (Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

Paramount Global Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Bob Bakish laid out the entertainment giant’s strategy to get through the ongoing SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes to Wall Street analysts on Monday (Aug.7), saying the company would rely on its international production capabilities and fall sports slate.

“We’re saddened that as an industry we couldn’t come to an agreement that would have prevented this,” Bakish said of the historic double strike during Monday’s second-quarter earnings call. “Our partnership with the creative community is critical to the health of our industry, so we remain hopeful for a timely resolution, and we are committed to finding a path forward. At the same time, we have a responsibility to minimize disruptions to our audiences and other constituents.”

CBS’s fall slate, Bakish added, would lean on “parallel network hits” like Paramount Network’s hit Taylor Sheridan drama Yellowstone, which will make its broadcast TV debut on Sundays starting from Season 1, “on top of the strong sports lineup.”

Kevin Costner, Yellowstone (Paramount+)

In addition to college football, March Madness, the PGA, NFL programming as well as the Super Bowl — which will air a kid-centric telecast on Nickelodeon — the company also boasted its international production capabilities.

“We have more than 85 international scripted and unscripted Paramount+ originals already produced in production or greenlit as well as more than 20 Local versions of global unscripted formats slated to debut through 2024,” Bakish said. “In fact, we just announced a slate of internationally produced originals coming to Paramount+ in the US, including … a Korean crime thriller that’s already generating strong buzz.”

The second pillar of Paramount Global’s strategy is “using multiple platforms and multiple revenue streams to get the most value for our content,” according to Bakish.

“This allows us to monetize our content in more ways, while giving us flexibility as market audiences and economics continue to evolve,” the CEO said. “That means accessing revenue streams across subscriptions and advertising and tapping into the very large global market of third party platforms through our strategic approach to content licensing, and it means distributing our content across linear TV, theatrical and streaming.”

This strategy is not new to Paramount, Bakish emphasized, as the company has “always embraced the combination of streaming, strategic licensing to third party platforms, both the linear television and streaming” as “something that unquestionably produces economic value for us.”

CBS content accounted for nearly half of the total minutes viewed on Paramount+, Bakish noted, but CBS-produced content also accounted for over $600 million of licensing revenue in the second quarter. Additionally, over the past 18 months, the top 20 engagement drivers on Paramount+ also drove hundreds of millions of dollars in incremental third-party licensing revenue.

Despite the company’s best laid plans, Bakish admitted that Paramount “anticipate[s] continued delays in production for the duration of the strike,” leading the company to “estimate free cash flow in the back half of the year will be significantly higher than previously expected.”

Other Hollywood companies have noted expected cost savings from delayed or canceled productions during the strikes.

Stream a Mountain of Entertainment, including your Nickelodeon favorites on Paramount+! Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com!

More Nick: Paramount Plus Expands Kids and Family Programming with New Slate of Films and Series from Nickelodeon Studios!

Original source: TheWrap.

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KKR to Acquire Simon & Schuster from Paramount Global for $1.62 Billion

KKR to Acquire Simon & Schuster from Paramount Global for $1.62 Billion

NEW YORK--August 07, 2023--Paramount Global (NASDAQ: PARA, PARAA) and KKR today announced the signing of a definitive agreement pursuant to which KKR will acquire Simon & Schuster for $1.62 billion in an all-cash transaction.

"We are pleased to have reached an agreement on a transaction that delivers excellent value to Paramount shareholders while also positioning Simon & Schuster for its next phase of growth with KKR,” said Bob Bakish, President and CEO of Paramount Global. “The proceeds will give Paramount additional financial flexibility and greater ability to create long-term value for shareholders, while also delevering our balance sheet.”

After the closing of the transaction, Simon & Schuster will become a standalone private company and will continue to be led by Jonathan Karp, President and CEO and Dennis Eulau, COO and CFO of Simon & Schuster.

“All of the executives at Simon & Schuster who met with KKR came away from those conversations impressed with the depth of KKR’s interest in our business and their commitment to helping us grow, thrive and become an even stronger company,” said Jonathan Karp. “With KKR’s support, we look forward to collaborating on new strategies that will enhance our ability to provide readers a great array of books and to give authors the best possible publication they can receive.”

Simon & Schuster has an outstanding reputation in book publishing, in addition to sustained, strong operating performance and double-digit revenue growth in the first quarter of 2023. KKR expects to advance the company’s position as one of the world’s best-known publishers and distributors with more than 36,000 titles across adult, children, audio and international categories.

In addition to investing in all areas necessary to establish Simon & Schuster as a standalone entity, KKR intends to support numerous growth initiatives, including extending Simon & Schuster’s strong domestic publishing program across various genres and categories, expanding its distribution relationships and accelerating growth in international markets.

KKR will also support Simon & Schuster in creating a broad-based equity ownership program to provide all of the company’s more than 1,600 employees the opportunity to participate in the benefits of ownership after the transaction closes. Since 2011, KKR portfolio companies have awarded billions of dollars of total equity value to over 60,000 non-management employees across more than 30 companies.

“Simon & Schuster’s nearly 100-year history is a testament to the enduring value of creative expression through the written and spoken word. We are thrilled to invest behind Jon and the immensely talented organization at Simon & Schuster to support their mission of delivering marquee content to readers around the world,” said Ted Oberwager, a Partner who leads the gaming, entertainment, media and sports verticals within KKR’s Americas Private Equity business.

Richard Sarnoff, Chairman of Media at KKR, added, “We see a compelling opportunity to help Simon & Schuster become an even stronger partner to literary talent by investing in the expansion of the company’s capabilities and distribution networks across mediums and markets while maintaining its 99 year legacy of editorial independence. We also believe the opportunity to create an ownership culture within one of the world’s top publishers has enormous potential to create value for all of Simon & Schuster’s stakeholders.”

Completion of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.

KKR is making its investment in Simon & Schuster primarily through its North America Fund XIII and has secured fully committed financing for the transaction. The investment builds on KKR’s deep experience investing in content-oriented media businesses, including current and prior investments in Epic Games, Mediawan, Leonine Studios, Artlist, Skydance Media, BMG and RBmedia, among others.

LionTree Advisors is acting as financial advisor and Shearman & Sterling LLP is acting as legal advisor to Paramount. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP is acting as legal advisor to KKR.

About Simon & Schuster

Simon & Schuster is a global leader in general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for readers of all ages, and in all printed, digital and audio formats. Its distinguished roster of authors includes many of the world’s most popular and widely recognized writers, and winners of the most prestigious literary honors and awards. It is home to numerous well-known imprints and divisions such as Simon & Schuster, Scribner, Atria Books, Gallery Books, Adams Media, Avid Reader Press, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing and Simon & Schuster Audio and international companies in Australia, Canada, India and the United Kingdom, and proudly brings the works of its authors to readers in more than 200 countries and territories. For more information about Simon & Schuster, please visit www.simonandschuster.com.

About Paramount

Paramount Global (NASDAQ: PARA, PARAA) is a leading global media, streaming and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. Driven by iconic consumer brands, Paramount's portfolio includes CBS, Showtime Networks, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Paramount+ and Pluto TV. Paramount holds one of the industry's most extensive libraries of TV and film titles. In addition to offering innovative streaming services and digital video products, the company provides powerful capabilities in production, distribution, and advertising solutions.

For more information about Paramount, please visit www.paramount.com and follow @ParamountCo on social platforms.

About KKR

KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management as well as capital markets and insurance solutions. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and supporting growth in its portfolio companies and communities. KKR sponsors investment funds that invest in private equity, credit and real assets and has strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR’s insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life, and reinsurance products under the management of Global Atlantic Financial Group. References to KKR’s investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds and insurance subsidiaries. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE: KKR), please visit KKR’s website at www.kkr.com and on Twitter @KKR_Co.

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Stream a Mountain of Entertainment, including your Nickelodeon favorites on Paramount+! Try it FREE at ParamountPlus.com!

More Nick: Paramount Plus Expands Kids and Family Programming with New Slate of Films and Series from Nickelodeon Studios!

H/T: NPR.

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