Sony Pictures Consumer Products 

Sony Pictures Consumer Products has signed a number of licensing and merchandising partners for Sony’s upcoming feature Jumanji: The Next Level (pictured). First up, the licensor has signed a deal with London-based Outright Games to create the Jumanji: The Video Game for PC, PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. Also, Israel-based TabTale is making the freemium mobile game Jumanji: Epic Run available on iOS and Android this December. 

On the toy front, Lanard Toys is launching a toy collection that will be sold exclusively in the US at Walmart and Walmart.com. Meanwhile, Cardinal Games is producing Jumanji: Falcon Jewel Battle board game.

Other licensees include, Bioworld and Fifth Sun (t-shirts, sportswear, sleepwear and tote bags), Funko (POP! figurine), The Noble Collection (replica of the original Jumanji board game), 60out (Jumanji-themed escape rooms in malls managed by Happy Times in Brazil and TEG in Australia).

International licensees include the UK’s Whitehouse Leisure International (plush) and Australia’s Bensons Trading (novelties).

Scholastic Entertainment 

Scholastic’s media division, Scholastic Entertainment, is developing three movies for the Hallmark Channel based on its popular kids books. Co-developed with Basset Film Distribution, the three family-friendly romantic comedy titles being adapted are Daphne Benedis-Grab’s holiday mystery The Angel Tree, Suzanne Nelson’s food-centered love story You’re Bacon Me Crazy! and Jenny Meyerhoff’s Playing Cupid.

Basset’s Alexandre Coscas and Michael Goldstein are exec producers on the films, alongside Scholastic Entertainment’s Iole Lucchese, Caitlin Friedman and Jef Kaminsky.

Cyber Group Studios 

Indie kids and family distributor NCircle Entertainment has picked up North American home entertainment rights for Parisian prodco Cyber Group Studios’ CGI-animated series Gigantosaurus.

NCircle is bringing the preschool series to DVDs, launching in Walmart and Target beginning January, with content to be made available through digital downloads in April.

In the 52 x 11-minute preschool series four dinosaurs explore the world while learning more about the biggest, fiercest dinosaur there is: the Gigantosaurus.

Brands with Influence 

Indian 2D-animation studio Animantz has appointed UK-based licensing agency Brands with Influence to represent its animated series Beo n Peno in the UK.

Aimed at kids four to 12, the 39 x seven-minute slapstick comedy sees a polar bear and a penguin embrace challenges and friendship at the South Pole. It originally launched in the region on YouTube channel Super Toons TV (1.49 million subscribers).