Warner Bros. Consumer Products Awards Master Toy License For “¡Mucha Lucha!” To JAKKS Pacific, Inc.
(October 13, 2003 – Malibu, CA) - Warner Bros. Consumer Products has awarded the Master Toy License for “¡Mucha Lucha!” to JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (Nasdaq NM: JAKK), a leading multi-brand company that designs and markets a broad range of toys, leisure products, crafts and writing instruments. JAKKS intends to develop a wide range of “¡Mucha Lucha!” products, including action figures, play sets, role play, plush and more, based on the highly popular Warner Bros. Animation television series on Kids’ WB!, the number one broadcast network for kids. “¡Mucha Lucha!” has wrestled its way into the 2003-2004 season, ranking as the #1 broadcast series for Kids 2-11 and the #2 program among all competition for Boys 2-11 on Saturday, September 20.
JAKKS expects to present products for “¡Mucha Lucha!” at the Fall Mass Market Expo in New York in October 2003, and plans to begin shipping the line for Spring 2004.
“We look forward to creating a collectible toy line for ‘¡Mucha Lucha!’ that captures the humor and appeal of the comedy-adventure animated property,” said Jennifer Richmond, senior vice president of JAKKS Pacific, Inc. “Based on the success of ‘¡Mucha Lucha!’ after its first season, we believe kids are connected to the characters of the show and will want to collect and play with the toy line.”
“We are excited to have JAKKS Pacific develop toys for the dynamic and creative ‘¡Mucha Lucha!’ property,” said Karen McTier, Executive Vice President, Domestic Licensing for Warner Bros. Consumer Products. “The humor and wide appeal of ‘¡Mucha Lucha!’ offer many options for a wide range of toys.”
The first-ever all-Flash animated series for broadcast television, “¡Mucha Lucha!” is an over-the-top comedy-adventure about honor, family, tradition … and donuts. Celebrating Latin culture and exploring the Mexican phenomenon of “Lucha Libre,” the series delves deep into a world where no one removes his or her colorful mask ever and success depends on having a “signature move.” “¡Mucha Lucha!” follows three mascaritas — Rikochet, Buena Girl and The Flea — who study and live the “Code of Masked Wrestling” at The Foremost World Renowned International School of Lucha … hoping to someday become great masked wrestlers.
Warner Bros. Consumer Products, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world.
JAKKS Pacific, Inc. is a multi-brand company that designs and markets a broad range of toys and leisure products. The product categories include: Action Figures, Arts & Crafts Activity Kits, Stationery, Writing Instruments, Performance Kites, Water Toys, Sports Activity Toys, Vehicles, Infant/Pre-School, Plush and Dolls. The products are sold under various brand names including Flying Colors®, Road Champs®, Remco®, Child Guidance®, Pentech®, Trendmasters®, Toymax®, Funnoodle®, Go Fly a Kite® and Color Workshop®. The Company also participates in a joint venture with THQ Inc. that has exclusive worldwide rights to publish and market World Wrestling Entertainment™ video games. For further information, visit www.jakkspacific.com.
“¡Mucha Lucha!” and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
“Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This press release contains forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the current views of the Company with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual future results or events may vary materially from those described herein. # # #