Genius Brands International “Genius Brands”
(NASDAQ: GNUS) announced today it has formed a strategic
co-production partnership with Alibaba Group’s (NYSE:BABA) video
streaming platform, Youku, to co-produce the all-new children’s
animated series,
Stan Lee’s Superhero
Kindergarten, starring
Arnold
Schwarzenegger.
Genius Brands and Alibaba’s Youku will
co-produce 52 x 11 episodes of the comedy, action-adventure series,
which will be available to Chinese audiences on Youku. Genius
Brands is also currently in active discussions with potential U.S.
partners and is debuting Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten to
international buyers at this year’s MIPJunior, a leading global
kids entertainment industry event in Cannes, France.
Created by Stan Lee as one of his final
projects, Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten, which targets kids
ages 4 – 7, is also co-produced by Lee’s POW! Entertainment, and
Schwarzenegger’s Oak Productions. Schwarzenegger, who also serves
as executive producer, lends his voice as the lead character in the
series. Co-creator of Deadpool, Fabian Nicieza, who has sold
over 100 million comics worldwide, is scripting the
series. Genius Brands’ Chairman and CEO and multiple
Emmy Award-winning producer of more than 5,000 episodes of
children's programming Andy Heyward, Paul Wachter, CEO of Main
Street Advisors, and President of POW! Entertainment Gill Champion
also serve as executive producers.
“Youku is one of the most innovative media
platforms in the world with an unparalleled ability to integrate
entertainment and commerce,” commented Andy Heyward, Chairman &
CEO of Genius Brands. “We look forward to collaborating with Youku
to create a high-quality program in the preschool space that will
resonate with a global audience.”
“With Stan Lee’s creativity, Arnold
Schwarzenegger’s star power, and Genius Brands’ expertise in
children’s entertainment, Superhero Kindergarten has all the
elements to become a worldwide phenomenon. With Youku’s platform
and technology, we are excited to help the program reach hundreds
of millions of families in China and partner with Genius Brands to
create this inspiring story for children around the world,” stated
Aaron Liao,
General Manager of Youku Kids.
About Superhero
KindergartenFive years ago, a tremendous superhero battle
blanketed the small town of Greenvale in cosmic radiation. Shortly
thereafter, a previously ordinary diverse group of boys and girls,
are showing the most unusual superpowers! Their superpowers,
however, rather than coming from Kryptonite, or a radioactive
spider, come from items in their kindergarten classroom….white
glue, wooden blocks, crayons, silly putty, etc.
A very special kindergarten teacher arrives in
Greenvale to train these super-kids. Arnold Armstrong (Arnold
Schwarzenegger) knows what it is like to control superpowers,
because he used to be Captain Courage, the hero whose final battle
resulted in the creation of the super-kids! Arnold will teach the
kids how to become the heroes of tomorrow, once he
teaches them how to tie their shoes! This is a series of
action, comedy, and fun, based on the genius and imagination of the
great creative icon, Stan Lee.
About YoukuYouku is a leading
multi-screen online video sharing and streaming platform in China
and forms a key part of Alibaba Group's digital media and
entertainment business, under its “Double H” (Health and Happiness)
strategy. Youku Kids offers high-quality programming, covering a
comprehensive range of categories including animation series,
nursery songs, puzzle games, e-books, and preschool education.
About Genius Brands
InternationalHeadquartered in Beverly Hills, Genius Brands
International, Inc. (Nasdaq: GNUS) is a leading global kids media
company developing, producing, marketing and licensing branded
children’s entertainment properties and consumer products for
media and retail distribution. The Company’s “content with a
purpose” brand portfolio, which is led by award-winning creators
and producers, includes preschool properties Rainbow
Rangers for Nick Jr. and Llama Llama for Netflix;
award-winning toddler brand, Baby Genius; adventure
comedy STEM series, Thomas Edison's Secret Lab; and financial
literacy and entrepreneurship series, Warren Buffett's Secret
Millionaires Club. The Company’s content catalog also includes the
animated series, Stan Lee's Cosmic Crusaders, created
with Stan Lee's Pow! Entertainment. Seeing the need to provide kids
and parents with a safe viewing environment that offers
premium enriching and engaging programming, Genius Brands launched
the Genius Brands Network – comprised of Kid Genius Cartoon
Channel and Baby Genius TV, as well as an
exclusive Kid Genius Cartoons Plus subscription channel
on Amazon Prime. The Network channels are available in
approximately 80 million U.S. households via a variety of
distribution platforms, such as OTT, set-top box, internet, and
mobile. Through licensing agreements with category leading
partners, characters from the Company’s properties also appear on a
wide range of consumer products for retail. For
additional information, please
visit www.gnusbrands.com.
About Stan Lee’s POW!
Entertainment POW! Entertainment Inc. is a multimedia
company founded in 2001 by the iconic comic book creator Stan Lee
with his friend and business partner Gill Champion, who is the
President today, to create and license intellectual properties for
entertainment media, including: feature-length films, television,
merchandising, branded content and other related ancillary markets
as well as exclusively maintain and protect the ownership of his
name, likeness, voice, trademarks and publicity rights throughout
the world. POW! Entertainment was acquired by Hong Kong-based
Camsing International Holding Limited, one of China's leading brand
licensing, entertainment, marketing, and promotion companies, in
2017. Under new leadership, another original founder and industry
veterans from Marvel and MGM, POW! is working with top writers,
artists, animators, filmmakers, and actors to extend the legacy of
the greatest storyteller of our time. Forward-Looking
Statements:Certain statements in this press release constitute
"forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal
securities laws. Words such as "may," "might," "will," "should,"
"believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "continue,"
"predict," "forecast," "project," "plan," "intend" or similar
expressions, or statements regarding intent, belief, or current
expectations, are forward-looking statements. While the Company
believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue
reliance should not be placed on any such forward-looking
statements, which are based on information available to us on the
date of this release. These forward-looking statements are based
upon current estimates and assumptions and are subject to various
risks and uncertainties, including without limitation those set
forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "SEC"), not limited to Risk Factors relating to its
patent business contained therein. Thus, actual results could be
materially different. The Company expressly disclaims any
obligation to update or alter statements whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise, except as required by
law.
MEDIA CONTACT:Michelle OrsiThree.Sixty
Marketing & Communications(310)
418-6430michelle@360-comm.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7a17e28e-f87e-4972-8b40-be5a7a2fc015
Alibaba (NYSE:BABA)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2024 to Apr 2024
Alibaba (NYSE:BABA)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2023 to Apr 2024