Mattel, WildBrain Clinch Deals for Hit Properties

Mattel and WildBrain have inked a raft of new international distribution deals for the animated kids’ shows Fireman Sam and Polly Pocket, based on the popular Mattel brands.

The new agreements are part of a multiyear co-development, production, distribution and licensing agreement between Mattel and WildBrain. In Europe, the latest buyers for season 16 of Fireman Sam include Cartoonito (Italy, U.K.), RTÉ (Ireland), NRK (Norway), CANAL+’s MiniMini+ (Poland) and NPO (Netherlands), which has also picked up season 15.

Long-time Fireman Sam partner KiKA (Germany) has also picked up the 16th season, along with the Alien Alert special. Also on board for the series are Pro Films (Bulgaria) for seasons 14 and 15, LEONINE Studios (Germany) for season 15, and TFOUMAX (France) for seasons 12 and 13.

Additional European deals include KPN (Netherlands) for seasons 11 and 12 and Norman Price and the Mystery in the Sky; and Blue Entertainment (Switzerland, Liechtenstein) for seasons 12 through 14 and the Alien Alert and Norman Price and the Mystery in the Sky films, along with Heroes of the Storm and Set for Action!

Internationally, WildBrain has inked new deals with hoopla Digital (U.S., Canada) for seasons one through 15, along with Alien Alert, Heroes of the Storm, Norman Price and the Mystery in the Sky, Set for Action!, The Great Fire of Pontypandy, and the Christmas special Snow Business. Télé-Québec (Canada) took seasons 12 to 15, Alien Alert, Set for Action! and Norman Price and the Mystery in the Sky; and Crave (Canada) picked up season 12.

In the FAST space, WildBrain has launched new Fireman Sam FAST channels on LG Channels, available on LG Smart TVs (U.S., Canada), Samsung TV Plus (U.S.) and Sling Freestream (U.S.), which include seasons one through 11, The Great Fire of Pontypandy, Heroes of the Storm, Alien Alert, Set for Action! and Snow Business. Additionally, Peacock has launched seasons one and two on AVOD and SVOD.

For Polly Pocket season six, WildBrain has signed deals with Cartoonito (Italy), ITVX Kids (U.K.), CANAL+’s TeleTOON+ (Poland) and Cúla4/TG4 (Ireland), which has also picked up season five. Additional deals for the series include LEONINE Studios (Germany) for season five; hoopla (U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand) for seasons one through five; blue Play (Switzerland) for the first two seasons and season five; Crave (Canada) for seasons three and four; and Pro Films (Bulgaria) and Kids Street (U.S. and its territories) for season one.

Additionally, Living Scriptures+ (U.S., Canada, ANZ) has signed on for season one of the new series, as well as season ten of the classic Polly Pocket series, which originally premiered in 2010, as well as the films PollyWorld and Polly Pocket 2: Cool at the Pocket Plaza. hoopla (U.S., Canada, ANZ) has signed on for seasons one through 11 of the classic series and the films Polly Pocket, Polly Pocket 2: Cool at the Pocket Plaza, PollyWorld, Night to Remember, Tiny Power and Unlocketing the Past.

The Roku Channel has recently launched a new Polly Pocket FAST channel in the U.S., which includes seasons one through five of the new series, seasons one through 11 of the classic series and the films Polly Pocket, Polly Pocket 2: Cool at the Pocket Plaza, PollyWorld, Night to Remember, Tiny Power and Unlocketing the Past. Peacock has also launched the first four seasons of the new series on AVOD and SVOD, while Samsung TV Plus has launched the first two on AVOD.

Katie Wilson, VP of channels and global acquisitions at WildBrain, said: “Fireman Sam and Polly Pocket are beloved kids’ series, and we continue to see great demand from broadcasters and streamers worldwide for these iconic Mattel properties. Kids everywhere can connect with these compelling characters and fun-filled stories, and these new partnerships will serve to delight existing fans and introduce the series to new audiences.”

Alex Godfrey, VP of content distribution at Mattel Television, said: “At Mattel Television, we are committed to delivering captivating content based on our beloved franchises. These new distribution agreements demonstrate the enduring appeal for Fireman Sam and Polly Pocket with fans globally. We’re excited to continue to share these timeless adventures with audiences around the world.”