2002 Merchandise & Miscellaneous News Archives
July 10, 2002: Warner Bros. Gives Mattel Rights
By GARY GENTILE, AP Business WriterLOS ANGELES (AP) - Warner Bros. has awarded Mattel Inc. the right to produce toys and games based on its Batman, Superman and Looney Tunes characters, including Bugs Bunny, for the next five years.
The deal gives Mattel the right to produce plush dolls, vehicles, games, action figures and other toys for upcoming movies and television shows featuring the Warner Bros. characters.
The deal is estimated to be worth between $200 million and $500 million over the life of the agreement according to people familiar with the matter. Mattel, based in El Segundo, Calif., will have worldwide rights, except in Asia.
The agreement gives Mattel the lucrative Batman rights now held by rival Hasbro Inc. Those rights will go to Mattel when Warner's current deal with Hasbro runs out at the end of this year.
Mattel won the comprehensive licensing rights in part because Warner Bros. was pleased with the toys and games Mattel produced for last year's hit "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." Mattel was awarded the licensing rights for the Harry Potter films in 2000.
"They creatively came in with a compelling presentation," said Dan Romanelli, president of Warner Bros. Worldwide Consumer Products. "It was important for them and strategic for them."
Hasbro holds the licensing rights for Warner Bros.' Scooby-Doo and Powerpuff Girls movies.
Warner Bros. is producing a combination live-action-animated film featuring the Looney Tunes characters. It also plans to launch a television show featuring younger versions of Bugs, Daffy Duck and other Looney Tunes characters.
The studio also produces an animated television show featuring Justice League characters, including Superman, Wonder Woman and The Flash.
The studio is also discussing new live-action installments in its Batman and Superman franchises, including a film featuring both characters, tentatively scheduled for release in 2004.
Mattel said its focus on building long-term franchises coincides with the studio's desire to do the same.
"We're focusing on generating creative ideas and products out of the essence of the property versus souvenirs of what you might see on the screen or the TV show," said Matt Bousquette, president of Mattel's entertainment division.
Shares of Mattel were down 15 cents to close at $20.60 in trading on the New York Stock Exchange ( news - web sites) Monday, but gained 5 cents in extended trading. Shares of Hasbro were down 23 cents to close at $13.51 on the NYSE, while shares of AOL Time Warner were down 61 cents to close at $14, but gained 19 cents in extended trading.
2002 Merchandise & Miscellaneous News
Listed below are all the Merchandise & Miscellaneous News items archived for 2002.- January 3, 2002: Belgium/France Restaurant Figures - Update!
- January 6, 2002: Superman's New Shield in Afghanistan
- January 9, 2002: “Smallville” Action Figures
- January 20, 2002: “Smallville” Season One Trading Cards
- January 23, 2002: Pre-Order Your Animated “Justice League” and “Superman” DVDs
- January 23, 2002: New Superman Roller Coaster
- January 29, 2002: Superman Poetry wins Paris Review Prize!
- January 31, 2002: Super Valentines Ideas!
- February 3, 2002: Superman Radio Episodes on the Web
- February 10, 2002: 2002 Superman Celebration
- February 13, 2002: Exclusive Jim Hambrick Interview
- February 13, 2002: Superman PS2 Game - Launch Date Announced!
- February 14, 2002: More on the PS2 Superman Game
- February 14, 2002: New “Smallville” and “Superman” Action Figures! (Update)
- February 18, 2002: Superman: Man of Steel Xbox Game
- February 19, 2002: More on the Superman Xbox Game
- February 22, 2002: Christopher Reeve's New Book
- February 25, 2002: Exclusive David Olsen Interview
- February 28, 2002: New PS2 Superman Game Screenshots
- February 28, 2002: “Vanity Fair” Superman Article
- March 2, 2002: New Look for “Multipath Adventures of Superman”
- March 5, 2002: Superman Homepage Featured in Australian Newspaper
- March 7, 2002: Circus Freak Develop Superman Game
- March 20, 2002: Fans Looking to Create Superman Game
- March 21, 2002: PLAY Magazine Feature on PS2 Superman Game
- March 27, 2002: “Justice League” Novels
- March 27, 2002: Superman Artist Needed!
- March 28, 2002: PS2 “Superman” Game Movie Files
- March 29, 2002: “Smallville” Novels On The Way
- April 1, 2002: 2003 - A Super Year for Calendars
- April 2, 2002: That Was Then, This Is Now
- April 2, 2002: Kryptonian Cybernet Archive
- April 3, 2002: Subway and Justice League Join Forces
- April 4, 2002: Superman on Trial in the Real World
- April 6, 2002: Superman at Movie World Madrid
- April 7, 2002: Smallville Merchandise on Sale!
- April 8, 2002: Superman on Game Boy Advance
- April 9, 2002: More “Smallville” Merchandise On Sale!
- April 11, 2002: Superman Game in Official xBox Magazine
- April 12, 2002: “Superman: The Ultimate Guide” Hardcover Book
- April 12, 2002: New JLA Monopoly Game on Sale!
- April 12, 2002: Superman - Unreal Tournament
- April 13, 2002: Experience “Superman: Ultimate Flight” Ride
- April 22, 2002: “Justice League” DVD Website Launched
- April 24, 2002: “Justice League” Fruit Snacks
- April 29, 2002: “Justice League” Video Game!
- April 29, 2002: Andy Warhol's Superman Auction
- May 4, 2002: Smallville Preview Trading Card Set
- May 4, 2002: Special Edition Comics Heroes Magazine
- May 7, 2002: St. Cloud's “Superman”
- May 12, 2002: Pre-Order Your Smallville Novels Now!
- May 26, 2002: Warhol's Million Dollar Superman
- May 26, 2002: Up-Coming Fossil Superman Watch
- May 30, 2002: Pre-Order Your “Smallville” Novels and Action Figures
- June 13, 2002: Borders Superman Gift Cards
- June 17, 2002: Help Celebrate Superman's Birthday!
- June 21, 2002: Sneak Peek - Superman: The Ultimate Guide
- June 21, 2002: Share Your Ideas with DC Direct
- July 10, 2002: Warner Bros. Gives Mattel Rights
- July 11, 2002: Smallville Preview Trading Card Set
- July 21, 2002: Women Vote for Superman Over Batman!
- July 22, 2002: Superman Gameboy Advance Details
- August 5, 2002: Details on New Smallville “Dragon” Novel
- August 6, 2002: Up-Coming Merchandise From DC Direct
- August 11, 2002: DC HeroClix from WizKidsGames
- August 15, 2002: Roger Stern Talks “Strange Visitors”
- August 21, 2002: New Smallville Novel - “Hauntings”
- August 26, 2002: Smallville High School Merchandise
- August 29, 2002: Roger Stern on “Smallville: Strange Visitors”
- September 1, 2002: Smallville: Season One Trading Cards
- September 8, 2002: Signed Smallville Trading Cards
- September 16, 2002: DC HeroClix “Our Worlds at War” Superman
- September 25, 2002: Jerry Seinfeld's “Halloween” Book
- September 26, 2002: Superman Fan Making a Difference
- September 29, 2002: Superman PS2 Game Reviews
- October 13, 2002: Superman Poem “Call me Clark!”
- October 23, 2002: Superman-Ultimate Flight Coming to New Jersey
- October 29, 2002: Superman PS2 Movie Trailer
- November 3, 2002: Superman xBox Movie Trailer
- November 12, 2002: Smallville: Season One Trading Cards
- November 14, 2002: “Superfriends” DVD Release Date
- November 17, 2002: Justice League on Game Boy Advance
- November 17, 2002: Atari Ships Superman: The Man of Steel for Xbox
- November 21, 2002: Six Flags Announce Superman Tower of Power
- December 4, 2002: Save the Metropolis Water Tower
- December 4, 2002: Kingdom Come Action Figures
- December 8, 2002: Superman vs Spider-Man?
- December 18, 2002: Christopher Reeve to Trigger New Year's Countdown
- December 18, 2002: Superman in the News
- December 22, 2002: Superman Homepage Awarded Wizard's “Site of the Month”!
- December 31, 2002: Superman Needed Now More Than Ever
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