Warner Bros. Consumer Products Arrives At Licensing International Expo 2011 With Unparalleled Content Support For Its Entertainment Licensing Portfolio

BURBANK, Calif., June 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- With super heroes, literary legends, and the development of an animation nation, Warner Bros. Consumer Products [WBCP] brings an unrivaled lineup of content support to this year's Licensing International Expo that will drive its licensing, merchandising and retail business to new heights.

"Content is the cornerstone of a robust consumer products program and we are pleased to be offering our partners a complete foundation of opportunities like never before," said Brad Globe, president, Warner Bros. Consumer Products.  "With the offerings we have on tap, licensees and retailers around the world have access to a diverse slate that will allow them to plan for long-term success with our properties."

A truly heroic film slate dominates Warner Bros. Pictures' theatrical offerings with characters from the world of DC Comics leading the charge.  The highly anticipated Green Lantern is set to light up theaters on June 17, followed by The Dark Knight Rises in summer 2012 and the upcoming Man of Steel.  WBCP's licensing efforts will continue to be led by Mattel, the global master toy licensee for DC Comics.

Beyond the world of DC Comics, theatrical films based on J.K. Rowling's literary phenomenon, Harry Potter, and the classic by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, have fans buzzing.  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2, the final film in the blockbuster series and the world's most successful entertainment franchise, debuts July 15.  Continuing the adventure in Middle-earth, the first in the upcoming two-film adaptation from filmmaker Peter Jackson, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, slated for December 2012, will be followed by The Hobbit: There And Back Again in December 2013.

DC Comics' robust roster is set to explode onto the television screen with the inception of DC Nation, featuring original animated programming produced by Warner Bros. Animation (WBA).  Earlier this year, Cartoon Network, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. announced the creation of this exclusive programming block on Cartoon Network.  Debuting in 2012 as a multi-platform franchise, DC Nation will be the exclusive television home for original animated content based upon DC Comics properties.  Backed by the production, publishing and marketing resources of Warner Bros., DC Entertainment and Cartoon Network, DC Nation will be populated with event programming, interstitials, exclusive behind-the-scenes segments from theatrical productions, and an insider look into the world of all things DC Comics.  

Leading the way for DC Nation is WBA's new Green Lantern: The Animated Series, featuring all-new CG animated action and debuting in late 2011.  WBCP's all-star DC Comics lineup also includes WBA's television series Young Justice, for Cartoon Network. And WBCP's master licensee Mattel will offer a myriad of licensing programs in support of DC Comics' extensive stable of legendary character properties, such as Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash and many other super heroes.

Warner Bros. Animation continues its creative momentum with a host of animated opportunities, including the smash hit The Looney Tunes Show, which is dominating the ratings on Cartoon Network. The show ranks as the #1 series among Boys 6–11 on all of basic cable television in its Tuesdays 8/7c time period and averages more than two million viewers each week.  Fans are also eagerly awaiting the debut of the all-new animated television series ThunderCats, only on Cartoon Network this summer.  Global master toy licensee Bandai America Incorporated will reinvigorate the nostalgic brand with enthusiasts, and introduce a whole new set of fans to the beloved pop culture staple.  Both series will join the lineup with WBA's current hit series Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated.  

Television licensing is also programmed into WBCP's diverse lineup, led by today's hits and yesterday's classics such as Gossip Girl, The Vampire Diaries, The Big Bang Theory, Pretty Little Liars, Supernatural, Seinfeld and Friends.

From the screen to the page, WBCP also represents DC Entertainment's licensed publishing business, which licenses the DC Comics Super Heroes (Green Lantern, Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman), as well as MAD Magazine and Vertigo properties in partnership with DC Entertainment for books with publishers worldwide.

Global themed entertainment expands the Warner Bros. experience for a worldwide audience, led by Batman Live – a unique action-packed live stage show set to tour arenas around the world.  The dynamic collaboration between WBCP, DC Entertainment and Nick Grace of Water Lane Productions Ltd. brings the world of Batman to life for audiences of all ages.  Harry Potter continues to enchant a worldwide audience with The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, now a must-see destination in Orlando, Florida.  Harry Potter: The Exhibition, created in partnership with Global Experience Specialists (GES), also offers fans a firsthand look inside the famous wizard's magical world with elaborate displays of authentic costumes, props and artifacts in environments from the films.  The exhibit currently runs in New York City's Discovery Times Square before traveling internationally.  Additionally, WBCP properties enjoy a strong presence at theme parks worldwide.

Classic properties will also remain a linchpin for WBCP at this year's Licensing Show.  With strong merchandising programs in the works, licensees continue to support beloved franchises including Looney Tunes, Baby Looney Tunes, Tweety, Tom and Jerry, Scooby-Doo, and other revered Hanna-Barbera properties.

WBCP is the home of Warner Bros. Pictures' original classic film library.  Timeless classic films include the original The Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind, Caddyshack, The Goonies, and Gremlins, as well as holiday favorites like The Polar Express, Frosty the Snowman, and A Christmas Story, which will also be presented at this year's show.

WBCP also continues to be the worldwide leader in football/soccer licensing, representing multiple powerhouse brands and the highest profile football tournaments.  The company's portfolio of world-class football franchise properties include: FC Barcelona, Manchester United FC, Juventus FC, Confederacao Brasileira de Futebol or CBF, Federacion Mexicana de Futbol Asociacion or FMF, and the UEFA Euro 2012.  WBCP operates centers of football expertise around the world and is actively engaged in licensing football worldwide.

About Licensing International Expo

Licensing International Expo is the most established licensing event in the world and has become a global marketplace for leveraging brand and property equity for new licensed consumer products. The show's appeal brings together top- level retail and manufacturing executives from more than 90 countries who look to Licensing International Expo to discover new brands and revenue generating opportunities within the $191 billion licensing industry. The next show will take place June 14-16, 2011 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. For up-to-date exhibitor listings, seminar scheduling, travel support and registration information, please visit http://www.licensingexpo.com.

Follow Licensing International Expo on Twitter at twitter.com/licensingexpo and visit the Licensing International Expo Fan Page on Facebook (http://www.licensingexpo.com/facebook).

Located at booth #3254, WBCP is one of the largest exhibitors at this year's show.

About Warner Bros. Consumer Products

Warner Bros. Consumer Products, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world.

About DC Entertainment

DC Entertainment, home to such iconic properties as Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash, MAD Magazine, and Fables, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating across Warner Bros. and Time Warner.  DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its super heroic characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment, and interactive games.  Publishing over 1,000 comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Entertainment is the largest English-language publisher of comics in the world. 

DC SUPER HEROES and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © DC Comics.

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HARRY POTTER characters, names and related indicia are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.  Harry Potter Publishing Rights © JKR.

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© Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.  The Hobbit and the names of the characters, items, events and places therein are trademarks of The Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Middle-earth Enterprises under license to Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

LOONEY TUNES and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

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THUNDERCATS and all related characters and elements are trademarks of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. and © of Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc and Ted Wolf.

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SCOOBY-DOO, TOM AND JERRY and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © Hanna-Barbera.

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THE WIZARD OF OZ and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © Turner Entertainment Co.

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SOURCE Warner Bros. Consumer Products