Casual/mobile games based on movies are morphing from marketing vehicles mostly for promotional lift to money spinners for film companies, according to a Variety story. A case in point is Kabam’s game “The Godfather: Five Families,” which Variety says generated $100 million in sales and “Godfather” licensor Paramount gets a cut. “That’s a stunning result that surprised … [Read more...] about Casual Games Based on Films Become Money Spinners
merchandise
‘Inspired By’ Merchandise Ties to Movies
"Fast & Furious 6," “The Great Gatsby” and “The Hobbit” are generating licensed merchandise that is marketed as “inspired by” those movies. The amorphous “inspired by” arrangement is a loose connection because the licensed products are not seen or heard in the film itself, but the inference they could have been. So these are simple to create since they are not limited to … [Read more...] about ‘Inspired By’ Merchandise Ties to Movies
Pricey ‘Potter’ Exhibit Shines
Here are my personal impressions of an exhibition of “Harry Potter” props and costumes in New York City, which was engaging but pricey at $27 for an adult admission. The exhibit was at the Times Square-area Discovery Hall. Says a press release, “The 14,000-square-foot experiential exhibition – created by Global Experience Specialists, Inc. (GES) in partnership with Warner … [Read more...] about Pricey ‘Potter’ Exhibit Shines
‘Django’ Slavery Action Figures Irk Activist
-“Django Unchained” action figures are drawing criticism for satirizing America’s sensitive slavery era. An activist, who says he saw and liked the movie argues the plastic action figures are "a slap in the face of our ancestors," he tells the Associated Press. "We feel that it trivializes the horrors of slavery and what African Americans experienced." The plastic … [Read more...] about ‘Django’ Slavery Action Figures Irk Activist
‘Hobbit’ Merchandise Comes Cheap & Also Pricey
With “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” now in theaters, Warner Bros. revealed details about its “Hobbit” licensed merchandise and a Wall Street Journal article describes bidding for pricey items and prop replicas from that movie and its precursor “Lord of the Rings” Trilogy. Here are some of the movie’s licensees for standard merchandise: * Co-master toy licensees The … [Read more...] about ‘Hobbit’ Merchandise Comes Cheap & Also Pricey
ThinkGeek Beams Up ‘Star Trek’ Merchandise
"Star Trek” fans can slice their pizzas with a U.S.S. Enterprise Pizza Cutter from ThinkGeek, which is a licensed merchandise outfit based in Fairfax VA. A press release says that the $99.99 cutter, which is in the shape of the space ship, is "limited to 1,701 units and each will feature a unique number laser etched onto the blade. Under license by CBS Consumer … [Read more...] about ThinkGeek Beams Up ‘Star Trek’ Merchandise
Movie Soundtracks Make Comeback
Movie companies are once again pushing hard to sell soundtrack albums, which went into severe decline over the past decade along with overall revenue of the music industry. The rise of digital music streaming and downloads again make movie music an attractive licensed merchandise item and music licensing organizations have helped by making more favorable deals with movie … [Read more...] about Movie Soundtracks Make Comeback
Merchandise Surges for ‘Dark Knight’
Warner Bros. unveiled product licensees for "The Dark Knight Rises" with the top-tier merchandise purveyors Mattel, Lego, Hallmark, Kinetex, Rubie’s Costume, Titan books, and Sakar International (electronics). The movie, which reportedly cost $250 million to make, premieres tomorrow. A Warner Bros. Consumer Products press release says that licensed products range “from toys … [Read more...] about Merchandise Surges for ‘Dark Knight’
Pixar Covers Postage Stamps
The United States Postal Service adds Disney’s Pixar animation characters to the pantheon of Hollywood luminaries that have graced postage stamps. Some 125 million stamps in total will be issued with five different mixes of Pixar characters including Nemo and Squirt from “Finding Nemo," and Woody, Bullseye and Jessie from “Toy Story 2.” “These delightful stamps lift spirits … [Read more...] about Pixar Covers Postage Stamps
Conviction for Fake Vintage Movie Posters
Vintage movie posters are a big business and there are pockets of fraud for posters and lobby cards. A Georgia man who was an active collector and seller was convicted in federal court to 6 ½ years in prison for manufacturing replicas of posters from famous old movies and selling them as original. The convicted man Kerry Haggard “worked his scam by paying a New York City … [Read more...] about Conviction for Fake Vintage Movie Posters