Warner Bros. Consumer Products Casts Spell Over Licensing 2000 International With Magical New Properties

(April 10, 2000 – Burbank, CA) - Warner Bros. Consumer Products will cast a spell over Licensing 2000 International this year with the debut of the “magical” and much-anticipated Harry Potter license. The Spring 2001 theatrical release of “Osmosis Jones,” The Powerpuff Girls, Looney Tunes, Batman, Scooby-Doo and The Wizard of Oz will also take center stage as Warner Bros. Consumer Products displays the breadth and scope of its properties for licensees from around the world. “We are pleased, once again, to bring a powerful and ever-growing stable of properties to Licensing 2000 International,” said Dan Romanelli, President, Warner Bros. Worldwide Consumer Products. “Warner Bros. Worldwide Consumer Products has long been a brand-builder -- from Bugs Bunny to Batman, The Powerpuff Girls to Harry Potter, our proven track record makes us a valuable partner for success.” Warner Bros. Consumer Products is one of the largest exhibitors at this year’s Licensing 2000 International and will be located at booths #3019 and #3219. The show will be held June 13-15 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York. Highlights from Warner Bros. Consumer Products include: • Harry Potter complete licensing program beyond Mattel, Inc., and Hasbro, Inc. agreements and Spring 2001 theatrical release; • “Osmosis Jones” Spring 2001 release--a live action, 2D animation and CGI film; • Looney Tunes’ “Tweety’s High-Flying Adventure,” an all new fully animated movie coming direct to video in Fall 2000; • Batman’s largest promotional campaign ever, OnStar program with General Motors; • Scooby-Doo support highlighted by two all new direct to video, full-length movies, new DVD and more. “Our Looney Tunes, DC Comics, Cartoon Network, The Wizard of Oz and theatrical and television-based properties continue to provide a portfolio of limitless potential for our licensing partners,” said George Jones, President, Warner Bros. Worldwide Licensing and Studio Stores. “With a worldwide network of offices and ongoing commitment to developing marketing and promotional opportunities, we are able to achieve global awareness of our brands.” Harry Potter The J.K. Rowling Harry Potter book series has been published in 115 countries and 28 languages with more than 18.4 million books in circulation in the U.S. alone. The Harry Potter books have rocketed up and stayed atop national best-seller lists such as The New York Times and USA Today. A global phenomenon, the “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” book is currently being developed as a theatrical film for Warner Bros. Pictures for Summer 2001 release. Chris Columbus, director of some of the decade’s most successful family films including “Home Alone” and “Mrs. Doubtfire,” will direct the first adaptation of the best-selling Harry Potter series of books. Two major licenses have been granted for Harry Potter: Mattel, Inc. is the worldwide master toy licensee for the literary characters, as well as for the upcoming feature films from Warner Bros. Pictures. Hasbro, Inc. has the licensing rights to a wide range of key entertainment categories, including trading card games, candy and youth electronics. These agreements involve the first two Harry Potter books and theatrical films. Osmosis Jones “Osmosis Jones” is a truly unique film that combines live action, 2D animation and CGI to create an edgy, hip world. This timeless tale of good vs. evil parodies contemporary urban life. Live-action hero, Frank, plays host to the crime scene as his body sets the stage for THE CITY OF FRANK, an animated urban jungle. This is where healthy cells battle infected ones and all’s fair in love and germ warfare. Peter and Bobby Farrelly, of popular and acclaimed films “Dumb & Dumber” and “There’s Something About Mary,” will direct portions of this full-length live action/animated comedy adventure. The cast includes: Chris Rock, David Hyde Pierce, Laurence Fishburne, Joel Silver, Brandy and William Shatner. Cartoon Network “Saving the world before bedtime,” Blossom, Buttercup and Bubbles are three little girls created from sugar, spice and everything nice, combined with a secret ingredient, Chemical X. These cute-as-a-button super heroes guard the city of Townsville against a colorful gallery of villains. “The Powerpuff Girls” animated series is created by Craig McCracken and airs exclusively around the world on Cartoon Network. Cartoon Network’s “The Powerpuff Girls,” continue to be popular on television and at retail. “The Powerpuff Girls” received tremendous media and retailer support in their first year with over 70 licensees in all categories for girls and for juniors, including apparel, toys, stationery and more. In 2000, the property will be supported with 52 new episodes, four videos, a music CD, major media campaign, publishing, interactive and retail support and more. Scooby-Doo, the capable canine and his friends – Shaggy, Fred, Velma and Daphne – are fashion trendsetters in 2000. Scooby-Doo’s support continues to be widespread with consumers of all ages and extremely successful at retail. In 2000, this “top dog” will have two all new direct to video, full-length movies debuting: “Scooby-Doo Meets The Boo Brothers” (Spring 2000); and “Scooby-Doo and the Alien Invaders” (Fall 2000) featuring Jennifer Love Hewitt’s new version of the Scooby-Doo theme song. The Fall video release will be supported with a major cable effort in over 13 million homes, retail backing and major promotional partners, including beverage, snack foods and candy deals in the works. Scooby will also have his first DVD and even has his own web site linked to CartoonNetwork.com, one of the top 5 kid web sites. Warner Bros. Consumer Products will also be licensing Cartoon Network Originals, a collection of original cartoons from the original series created for Cartoon Network, as well as Cartoon Network Classics, a collection of some of the best-known characters in the Hanna-Barbera cartoon library. Cartoon Network Originals include: “Dexter’s Laboratory,” “Cow and Chicken,” “Johnny Bravo,” “Space Ghost,” “Ed, Edd ‘n Eddy,” Mike, Lu & Og” and “Courage the Cowardly Dog.” Cartoon Network Classics include: “Yogi Bear,” “Huckleberry Hound,” “Top Cat,” “Quick Draw McGraw,” “Snagglepuss,” “Pixie & Dixie,” “Dastardly & Muttley” and “Tom & Jerry.” Cartoon Network Classics will also include “Boomerang,” a Cartoon Network spin-off cable channel launching April, 2000, focusing on the Hanna-Barbara library (the same library used to launch Cartoon Network) and will be a complimentary 24 hour all-animated channel to Cartoon Network. Looney Tunes Looney Tunes continues its reign as one of the world’s most popular brands, with lead hare Bugs Bunny being voted “America’s Favorite Animated Character” by People Magazine’s 1999 Year-End Poll of the Century. Looney Tunes characters have nearly 100% awareness in all age groups in the United States and are among the most well-liked cartoon characters, according to C.A. Walker 1999. The Looney Tunes brand will be supported in 2000 with, “Tweety’s High-Flying Adventure,” an all new fully animated movie coming to video in Fall 2000. The video release will be supported by over one billion consumer impressions. This includes national TV, radio, print, on-line and public relations campaigns, national on-line promotions and a national consumer sweepstakes. The video will also gain momentum by a national in-school program with Looney Tunes world travel lesson plans and book covers for kids in grades 1 and 2. “Tweety’s High-Flying Adventure” will receive extensive visibility from couponing, retailer tie-ins and packaged goods and a quick service restaurant deal. The United States Postal Service continues its successful Looney Tunes stamp program with the April, 2000 arrival of the Wile E. Coyote/Road Runner stamp. Several new, future art programs for the Looney Tunes brand will also be unveiled, including an extreme sports art program. Baby Looney Tunes and Baby Looney Tunes Classic Collection continue as strong consumer brands with parents. Playing off the worldwide recognition and appeal of the Looney Tunes brand, they continue to gain valuable support with their own extensive national print campaign directed at parents and expectant moms. A new art program for Baby Looney Tunes and Baby Looney Tunes Classic Collection will also be featured. The Baby Looney Tunes art program uses bright, bold colors that play into the carefree, mischievous personality of the characters, while Baby Looney Tunes Classic Collection combines the characters with a softer, watercolor palette for a more classic, nostalgic appeal with a hint of innocence. DC Comics DC Comics’ Super Heroes Batman and Superman transcend all levels of media with continuous exposure in television, feature films, home videos, print campaigns and promotions, theme park attractions and on-line. Batman and Superman “got milk?” as the DC Super Heroes team up with the National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board to be featured in the popular “milk mustache” advertising campaign. The Super Heroes will also gain support with an exciting summer promotion with Carl’s Jr./Hardee’s restaurants, as well as the nationwide “Best Western Summer Adventures promotion. Batman’s largest promotional campaign ever begins in 2000 with General Motors and their OnStar technology, bringing a live action Batman into a massive media campaign for personal driver communication and security service. All this, plus 52 new episodes of “Batman Beyond,” on weekend mornings and Monday-Friday on the #1 kids’ network in the U.S., Kids’ WB! Superman reaches millions of fans each month worldwide through seven monthly comic books from DC Comics, the #1 comic book publisher in the United States. Promotional partners IBM Lotus R5, Kraft, and the United States Postal Service continue in 2000 with wider exposure than ever. The company will also unveil, “Superman Complete,” a new Spring 2001 style guide encompassing DC Superman, Superman Animated and Silver Age nostalgia character art programs. The worldwide appeal of MAD Magazine has made it one of the most successful humor magazines in history. The irreverence of the property is brought to life through MAD Racing (a partnership with the National Hot Rod Association), the weekly television program “MAD TV”, recently picked up for a sixth and seventh season, and by MAD Magazine—a monthly publication. With MADMAG.com launching and numerous recent publishing successes, this humor lifestyle brand continues building momentum. The Sandman, the award-winning, epic fantasy from DC Comics will make it’s licensing debut at this year’s show. The tale of a lonely figure who rules the ethereal world of dreams, The Sandman is one of the most popular characters to emerge from comics onto college campuses in the last decade. The Sandman was originally published as 75 monthly issues and continues to grow in popularity as a series of full-length novels. The Wizard of Oz This American cultural icon ranks #6 on the American Film Institute’s list of “The Greatest films of All Time.” Generations of children have watched “The Wizard of Oz,” over and over again. This cherished classic continues to receive a high-level of awareness in contemporary movies, TV and publishing. From “Ally McBeal” and “Saturday Night Live,” to “Today” and The New Yorker, awareness is continually reinforced. From April through September 2000, The Library of Congress will feature an exhibition that marks the 100th anniversary of L. Franki Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. In 2000, The Wizard of Oz will be supported by new merchandise launches by Mattel, Inc. (dolls) and Cakewalk (apparel and accessories), and through Time Warner promotional support (wbstore.com, Warner Bros. Studio Stores and QVC). Studio Licensing Warner Bros. Consumer Products will also be licensing film and television properties such as “The Matrix,” “Fighting Like Cats and Dogs,” “Generation O!,” Pesky Meddling Girls,” The Oblongs,” “Friends,” “ER,” “The Drew Carey Show,” and “Baby Blues." The nostalgic television series licenses include “CHiPS,” “The Dukes of Hazzard,” “F-Troop,” “Gilligan’s Island,” “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.,” “Please Don’t Eat the Daisies,” “The Waltons,” and “Welcome Back Kotter.” Classic Movies from the Warner Bros. library such as “Casablanca” will be showcased in addition to hundreds of other classics from the Turner/MGM/RKO libraries. Warner Bros. Consumer Products, a division of Time Warner Entertainment Company, L.P., is one of the leading and most diversified licensing and retail merchandising organizations which includes a vast library of intellectual properties and the Warner Bros. Studio Stores, including wbstore.com and our e-commerce website. With over 3,700 licensees, Warner Bros. Consumer Products licenses the rights to names, likenesses and logos for a variety of entertainment properties, categories, and Warner Bros. icons that include Looney Tunes, Batman, Superman, Scooby-Doo, The Wizard of Oz, Friends, ER, and its newest member, Harry Potter. # # #