Kartoon Channel! Acquires “Sonic The Hedgehog” and “PAC-MAN” Animated Series
Blockbuster Classics Will Be Available on Kartoon Channel! and Apps Starting In October
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Sept. 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Genius Brands International (NASDAQ:GNUS) continues to build its offering of powerful animated content on Kartoon Channel! with the acquisition from 41 Entertainment of two powerhouse animated children’s series, Adventures of Sonic The Hedgehog, starring Jaleel White, and PAC-MAN and The Ghostly Adventures.
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Genius Brands has acquired 26x30’ episodes of PAC-MAN™ and the Ghostly Adventures, featuring the classic video game character PAC-MAN. The series follows the daily adventures of Pac and his loyal crew, Cyli and Spiral, who face the ups and downs of adolescence as they protect Pac-World from a ghostly army led by the evil Betrayus. Originally conceived in 1980, PAC-MAN immediately rose to meteoric popularity, first in video game arcades, then through an array of branding and entertainment appearances. PAC-MAN’s image is one of the most recognized on the planet and is as strong as ever as he enters his 40th year in 2020 entertaining fans of all ages.
The company has also acquired for Kartoon Channel! 26x30’ episodes of Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, based on the blockbuster hit videogame by Sega, and starring the celebrity voice of Jaleel White of Family Matters fame. This comical, light-hearted, and gag-driven adventure series emphasizes positive themes for kids about personal safety and interpersonal relationships. Sonic, along with his idolizing young friend Tails, regularly oppose the main antagonist Dr. Robotnik, his robot henchmen Scratch, Grounder, and Coconuts, and thwart their plans to conquer their home planet of Mobius. The series features a short Public Service Announcement titled "Sonic Says" at the end of each episode.
“Our mission in creating Kartoon Channel! has always been to deliver the best of the best in children’s entertainment, and we are excited to add these two series, featuring popular characters that are proven winners and that kids love,” said Caroline Tyre, General Manager of Kartoon Channel!
About Kartoon Channel!
Available in over 100M U.S. television households and over 200M mobile devices, Kartoon Channel!, which is also now available on iOS, offers access to a wide variety of Genius Brands original and acquired family-friendly content, with more added daily, including Babar, Angry Birds, Stan Lee’s Mighty7, Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab, Baby Einstein, Baby Genius, Llama Llama shorts, Warren Buffett’s Secret Millionaires Club, and more. Additionally, Genius Brands has added more family-friendly gaming content, including Minecraft’s Journey to the End and Fairy Horse Quest, Octodad, PixArk, and coming soon from Tankee, Big B Roblox Challenge. Genius Brands will also premiere on Kartoon Channel! in Q1 2021 the upcoming comedy-adventure series, Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten, currently in pre-production and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.
In addition to the new iOS mobile app, Kartoon Channel! has just launched its new APP on Apple TV OS, Roku and has gone live on www.kartoonchannel.com. You can also find Kartoon Channel! on Xumo, Comcast, Cox, Dish, and Sling. The iOS app will be the model for additional platforms coming soon.
For more information on Kartoon Channel!, please visit https://www.gnusbrands.com/kartoonchannel
About Genius Brands International
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 award-winning ‘content with a purpose’ portfolio includes the upcoming Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and in partnership with Alibaba; Rainbow Rangers for Nick Jr.; Llama Llama, starring Jennifer Garner, for Netflix; award-winning toddler brand Baby Genius; adventure comedy STEM series Thomas Edison's Secret Lab; and entrepreneurship series Warren Buffett's Secret Millionaires Club. Through licensing agreements with leading partners, characters from Genius Brands’ IP also appear on a wide range of consumer products for the worldwide retail marketplace. The Company’s new Kartoon Channel! is available in over 100 million U.S. television households via a broad range of distribution platforms, including Comcast, Cox, DISH, Amazon Prime, Sling TV, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire and more. For additional information, please visit www.gnusbrands.com.
About 41 Entertainment
41 Entertainment (41E) is a global animation company engaged in the production, distribution and marketing of animated children’s television programs. 41E also specializes in the marketing of related consumer products (licensing and merchandising) in all forms. Having worked on numerous successful animation projects, 41E has successfully negotiated distribution deals in over 95 countries and territories in the children’s programming market. 41E properties, either as producer, distributor or IP owner, include, but are not limited to, PAC-MAN and the Ghostly AdventuresTM, SKYLANDERS ACADEMYTM, S.M.A.S.H!TM, Supernatural AcademyTM, Kong – King of the Apes®, Tarzan and Jane®, and Super Monsters®.
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, our ability to generate revenue or achieve profitability; our ability to obtain additional financing on acceptable terms, if at all; our ability to repay our outstanding debt; the potential issuance of a significant number of shares to our convertible note holders which will dilute our equity holders; fluctuations in the results of our operations from period to period; general economic and financial conditions; our ability to anticipate changes in popular culture, media and movies, fashion and technology; competitive pressure from other distributors of content and within the retail market; our reliance on and relationships with third-party production and animation studios; our ability to market and advertise our products; our reliance on third-parties to promote our products; our ability to keep pace with technological advances; our ability to protect our intellectual property and those other risk factors set forth in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in the Company's subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). 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.
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Released September 2, 2020