No Matter The Season, Looney Tunes Are Where The Action Is For Licensing Show International 2003

(April 23, 2003 – Burbank, CA) – Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck are taking over the world of entertainment licensing as Warner Bros. Consumer Products celebrates its 20th anniversary and shines a spotlight on the globally popular Looney Tunes brand at Licensing Show International 2003. The notoriously competitive duo is teaming up once again with the irreverent cast of Looney Tunes characters in the upcoming release of Warner Bros. Pictures’ live-action feature film, “Looney Tunes: Back In Action,” which is slated for release on November 14, 2003. In true Bugs and Daffy form, they couldn’t stop with the big screen. They are taking over television, interactive games and toys and are returning to their roots with the creation of new theatrical Looney Tunes animated shorts to be featured in front of major upcoming Warner Bros. feature film releases this year. Daffy Duck interprets the above, “Blah, blah, blah, marketing gibberish, blah, blah, blah.” Bugs Bunny, Warner Bros. most durable star adds, “They’ll see the movie, then they’ll go out and buy the stuff. Hopefully in that order too.” This year’s rich range of properties being headlined at Licensing Show demonstrates a more than decade-long tradition of Warner Bros. Consumer Products presence at the annual trade show for the multi-billion dollar worldwide business of consumer products licensing, marketing and merchandising. “The licensing industry is a flourishing business where brands that entertain audiences are brought to life in new and creative ways,” says Dan Romanelli, President of Warner Bros. Worldwide Consumer Products, throughout the division’s 20-year history. “From re-inventing and re-introducing the classics, to bringing new properties to fans worldwide, we work with the best partners in the business to create extensions of some of the world’s greatest entertainment experiences. Licensing Show is a great place for us to platform our dynamic brands.” “That’s for sure,” adds Daffy Duck. “We swear by this show. It’s so much more relaxing than Hunting Expo or the Future Taxidermists of America Picnic.” Warner Bros. Picture’s highly anticipated “Looney Tunes: Back in Action” features the famed Looney Tunes band of animated performers alongside a star-studded, live-action cast including Brendan Fraser, Jenna Elfman, Heather Locklear and Steve Martin. “I always love giving young talent a shot at the big time, even if it means sailing in the wake of my tail feathers,” Daffy interrupted. This feature film event is the latest in a powerful lineup of Looney Tunes initiatives. In fall, Warner Bros. Consumer Products, Action Performance and Chevrolet will team up for the third consecutive year for a Looney Tunes-themed NASCAR promotion. The program will cross all three series that make up the NASCAR racing experience – the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, the NASCAR Busch Series and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. Taking place the first weekend in November in Phoenix, AZ, Looney Tunes-themed cars, driven by some of NASCAR’s best drivers, will once again compete for the win. Last year’s award-winning promotion was NASCAR’s biggest ever. The beloved, wacky and sometimes irreverent characters of the Looney Tunes have entertained generations of kids around the world. Mattel, the master toy licensee for the Looney Tunes brand has created a new line of toys inspired by the upcoming film, which incorporate the physical slapstick humor and over-the-top antics that set Looney Tunes apart from the rest. Mattel’s new lineup of toys include an interactive plush toy, Don’t You Dare Daffy; games that let kids play-out their favorite Looney Tunes escapades; whimsical Krazy Kombos action figures; and a plush toy called Rude Tunes Taz. By placing Taz’s right hand under his armpit, then moving his arm up and down, he makes sounds of the flatulent nature to the song “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” “And, eh, you might want’em to play out the “escapades” away from the nice furniture,” adds Bugs. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment is co-publishing a “Looney Tunes: Back In Action” video game title with Electronic Arts (EA), to be released on PlayStation 2, Game Cube and Game Boy Advance, day-and-date with the upcoming film. Players will be able to switch off playing either Bugs or Daffy on a scavenger hunt adventure around the world, with themed levels inspired by the film’s diverse and wild locations. On the search for the Blue Monkey Diamond, players chase and race from level to level, seeking gizmos and clues. Additional licensees on board for the film include, Rubies, Hallmark, Nanco, Scholastic, Mead, Dalmatian, In-Zone Products, Six Flags and others. Among this years’ other Looney Tunes highlights is the delightful Baby Looney Tunes animated series, which airs five days a week on the Cartoon Network and averages 32 million viewers weekly tuning in to see smaller versions of their favorite Looney Tunes characters. Cute and cuddly beyond compare, Baby Looney Tunes will appear in a new collection of plush and preschool toys from Fisher Price this year. Additional Baby Looney Tunes licensees include Hallmark, Colgate-Palmolive Co., Dolly, Hedstrom, Amscan, Rubies Costumes and others. The popular www.LooneyTunes.com destination, with over a million page views daily, further extends the Looney Tunes experience online offering a full interaction with the brand. Showcasing the Looney Tunes brand as it continues throughout 2003, Duck Dodgers premieres from Warner Bros. Animation this summer on Cartoon Network. Classic Looney Tunes characters Daffy Duck and Porky Pig will be transported in to the 241/2 century in the half-hour action/comedy series, battling planet Earth’s enemies such as Martian Commander X-2, played by the unforgettable Marvin the Martian. Continuing the Looney Tunes incredible success on Cartoon Network, Duck Dodgers offers another opportunity for television audiences to connect with these timeless characters in a whole new series of adventures. Mattel will have a new toy line launching on behalf of Duck Dodgers in Spring 2004. “Finally! Just in time for awards show-season!” enthused an exuberant and saliva-slinging Daffy. “While the Looney Tunes are certainly ‘Back In Action,’ we also have so many other brands that are entertaining audiences of all ages,” added Romanelli. In addition to the variety of Looney Tunes activities in 2003, a vibrant range of Warner Bros. Consumer Products’ offerings from Harry Potter to DC Comics, Scooby-Doo to The Powerpuff Girls, ¡Mucha Lucha! and The Matrix will also be highlighted at Licensing 2003, further celebrating the division’s position at the forefront of product and brand licensing. “I’ll be signin’ autographs all week. The first one’s only ten bucks, then each extra one is a fiver. And no pushin’ in line,” concluded Daffy humbly. About Licensing 2003 International Licensing 2003 International continues to be the most important marketplace for concepts and creative ideas related to the biggest brands in the world. Consumers spend more than $95 billion on licensed products annually. Located at booths #3019 and #3219, Warner Bros. Consumer Products is one of the largest exhibitors at this year’s show. The show is being held June 10-12 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York. About Warner Bros. Consumer Products Warner Bros. Consumer Products is a division of Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, and is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world. # # #