Following
Kartoon Studios’ (NYSE
American:TOON) recent landmark announcement regarding
the 2025 holiday premiere of
“Kartoon Studio’s
Winnie-The-Pooh” animated feature, followed by holiday
specials and a series, the Company today announced a broad
partnership with
LiveOne,
Inc. (NASDAQ: LVO), an
award-winning, creator-first music, entertainment, and technology
platform.
LiveOne will produce, publish, and
distribute all music for Kartoon Studios
“Winnie-the-Pooh” films and series, including
original songs, albums and soundtracks. LiveOne’s subscription
platform delivers premium content and livestreams from the
world's top artists creating a valuable connection between brands
and fans.
Kartoon Studios “Winnie-the-Pooh” is currently
in pre-production on the animated feature, A Hundred
Acre Christmas. The movie is set to premiere December 24,
2025, on Amazon Prime Video, through Kartoon Channel’s $3.99/month
subscription distribution arrangement, timed to celebrate the
100th anniversary of A.A. Milne’s original publication in the
London Evening Standard. The franchise will also include five
holiday specials and a104-episode animated series.
“LiveOne has revolutionized the digital entertainment and
live-streaming space since its launch in 2015 by leveraging
technology to enhance user engagement and interaction with content
creators and media partners, and they are the ideal partner to
work with us to deliver a slate of original music, which is
integral to the production of Kartoon Studios “Winnie-the-Pooh,”
stated Kartoon Studios’ Chairman & CEO Andy
Heyward.
“The Winnie-the-Pooh franchise’s popularity has endured for
generations and generated 80 billion dollars in revenue, including
music royalties. The 1994 release of the Grammy Award-nominated
Return to Pooh by Kenny Loggins alone sold over 2 million albums,”
said LiveOne’s Chairman & CEO Robert Ellin, and
Josh Hallbauer, Head of Music. “We are thrilled to partner
with Kartoon Studios to translate the values, stories and
characters from the original books into a dynamic soundtrack to
appeal to a new generation with Kartoon Studios
‘Winnie-the-Pooh.”
In addition to the release of content, Kartoon Studios will
launch a global retail program concurrent with the debut of the
holiday movie with physical entertainment through Alliance
Entertainment Corporation and a consumer productions program.
The development, production, and growth of Kartoon
Studios “Winnie-The-Pooh” is funded by a
non-dilutive production financing of $30 million, led by Catalyst
Venture Partners.
About Kartoon Studios’ Winnie-The-PoohKartoon
Studios’ “Winnie-the-Pooh” is based on the designs and stories of
one of the most successful brands of all time, A.A. Milne’s
Winnie-the-Pooh, a property that has generated over $80 billion
dollars in sales over the last four decades and is estimated to
currently generate $3-$6 billion dollars per year. The total
lifetime revenues exceed those of “Barbie,” “Harry Potter,” “Star
Wars,” “Mickey Mouse,” “Peanuts,” “Ninja Turtles,” “Power Rangers,”
“Marvel,” and almost every major brand in the
world.
Kartoon Studios’ Winnie-the-Pooh animated content is being
developed with a unique ‘yarn- based’ design and palette for the
characters and backgrounds, along with original modern stories
inspired by Milne’s beloved classic books. The beautifully imagined
yarn gives the characters a depth and warmth. Additionally, the
stories will be told in a ‘Seussian style’ rhyme to provide an
enriched dimension to the stories.
About Kartoon Studios Kartoon Studios
(NYSE AMERICAN: TOON) is a global end-to-end creator, producer,
distributor, marketer, and licensor of entertainment brands. The
Company’s IP portfolio includes original animated content,
including the Stan Lee brand, “Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten,”
starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, on Kartoon Channel! and Ameba;
“Shaq’s Garage,” starring Shaquille O’Neal, on Kartoon Channel!;
“Rainbow Rangers” on Kartoon Channel! and Ameba; the Netflix
Original, “Llama Llama,” starring Jennifer Garner, and
more.
In 2022, Kartoon Studios acquired Canada’s WOW! Unlimited Media,
along with its subsidiary, Mainframe Studios, which is one of the
most successful animation service houses in the world, producing
top brands for 3rdparties, including “Cocomelon,” “Barbie’s
Playhouse,” Unicorn Academy,” and “SuperKitties.”
Additionally, the company made a strategic investment becoming the
largest shareholder in Germany’s Your Family Entertainment AG
(FRA:RTV), one of Europe’s leading distributors and broadcasters of
high-quality programs for children and families.
Toon Media Networks, the Company’s wholly owned digital
distribution network, consists of Kartoon Channel!, Frederator
Network, and Ameba. Kartoon Channel! is a globally distributed
entertainment platform with near full penetration of the U.S.
market. Kartoon Channel! and Ameba are available across multiple
platforms, including iOS, Android Mobile, Web, Amazon Prime Video,
Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, Pluto TV, Comcast, Cox, Dish, Sling
TV, Android TV, Tubi, Xumo, and Samsung and LG Smart TVs.
Frederator Network owns and operates one of the largest global
animation networks on YouTube, with channels featuring over 2000
exclusive creators and influencers, garnering billions of views
annually.
For additional information, please
visit www.kartoonstudios.com
About LiveOne, Inc.Headquartered in Los
Angeles, CA, LiveOne (Nasdaq: LVO) is an
award-winning, creator-first, music, entertainment, and technology
platform focused on delivering premium experiences and content
worldwide through memberships and live and virtual
events. LiveOne's wholly-owned subsidiaries include Slacker
Radio, PodcastOne (Nasdaq: PODC), PPVOne, CPS, LiveXLive,
DayOne Music Publishing, Drumify and
Splitmind. LiveOne is available on iOS, Android, Roku,
Apple TV, Spotify, Samsung, Amazon Fire, Android TV, and through
STIRR’s OTT applications. For more information,
visit liveone.com and follow us
on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and
Twitter at @liveone. For more investor information, please
visit ir.liveone.com.
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; the potential issuance of a
significant number of shares, 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.
MEDIA
CONTACT:pr@kartoonstudios.com
INVESTOR RELATIONS
CONTACT:ir@kartoonstudios.com
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