NBCU Scores Barbie Animation Franchise

LONDON: NBC Universal International Television Distribution has scored the international TV rights to Mattel’s Barbie animation franchise, while Universal Pictures International Entertainment (UPIE) has picked up the DVD and download-to-own distribution rights.

NBC Universal takes over the U.K. DVD rights and international television distribution rights for the first time with the overall licensing agreement covering all territories worldwide, excluding the U.S., Canada and certain other territories. (In the North America, Barbie DVDs are distributed by Universal Studios Home Entertainment.)

The ten-year agreement will see UPIE handling the existing Barbie back catalogue product outside of the U.K. and a total of ten new titles over the next four years throughout all international territories for DVD. The next new release, the 16th in the franchise, will be Barbie and the Three Musketeers in September 2009.