Warner Bros. Consumer Products Reveals the Global Licensing and Merchandising Program for Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”
(September 27, 2016 – Burbank, CA) – As audiences eagerly await a new era of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP) announces the worldwide launch of the licensing and merchandising program for the much-anticipated feature film “Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them,” which is rolling out at retail around the world beginning this week.
The global licensing and merchandising program extends the Wizarding World fan experience with an impressive roster of licensees and retailers offering exciting new products and retail promotions in support of “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” From replica artifacts for collectors to a range of apparel and accessories, to specially curated lifestyle programs, and more, the global program brings the film’s array of characters, creatures, and locations to life.
“We’re thrilled to partner with our best-in-class licensing and retail partners for a fantastical lineup of products, programs, promotions and partnerships in support of ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,’” said Pam Lifford, President, Warner Bros. Consumer Products. “As we expand our Wizarding World offerings, we’re so excited to bring to the loyal fans, as well as new generations of fans, more ways to connect, engage and express their passion for this amazing expansion of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World. Our global program will offer a wide variety of products and price points – as we have something for everyone.”
With a range of products at multiple tiers of retail around the world, WBCP joins forces with its world-class licensing partners and retailers for the global merchandising program launch this month. The licensing program will include a robust publishing program, stationery, fine collectibles, gifts and novelties, and home decor, while also featuring apparel, accessories, costumes, and much more.
Anchoring the global collection are programs with top publishing houses Scholastic, HarperCollins, and Insight Editions, featuring beautifully created children’s and adult tie-in books that allow readers to explore the filmmaking journey by sharing behind-the-scenes details of the film, and interviews with the cast and crew. The publishing program includes handbooks, guidebooks, poster books and interactive formats such as coloring and creativity books as well as deluxe novelty and paper-engineered books.
Fans can also celebrate “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” with high-end collectibles, including character wands, plush and other film replicas from the Noble Collection, and an assortment of fan-favorite, stylized vinyl figures from Funko. They can also represent their house pride with a collection of apparel and accessories from Bioworld; fashion accessories and a high-end line of costumes from Elope; jewelry collections from Jacmel and Carat Shop; and bedding from Northwest among many others.
WBCP’s global program brings an array of product from licensees and retailers from the U.S., the U.K., France, Germany, Japan, Brazil, and many more countries that will continue to roll out their product and merchandising programs throughout North America, EMEA, Asia-Pac and Latin America.
Retailers including Barnes & Noble are supporting “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” with Funko exclusives as well as collectibles, stationery, gifts, apparel and an expanded publishing program in stores around the country. Books-a-Million also has a publishing program with gift and novelties at stores around the U.S. Additional licensees supporting the film in the U.S. include Candlewick Press (a sublicensee of Insight Editions) with a publishing program; Tervis, Silver Buffalo and Trends Int’l with home décor and novelties; and Hyp Hats with a collection of accessories and gifts.
In the U.K., retailers and partners include Harrods, which will continue to support their Harry Potter statement and will include “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” leading up to the film’s premiere. Platform 9 ¾, an immersive destination retailer at King’s Cross Station in London, will continue to offer product in support of the Harry Potter franchise and will also include product to support “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” Additional support in the U.K. will include apparel at grocer retailers such as Tesco and Sainsbury’s, as well as gifting and stationery from partners like GB Eye and Pyramid; and Walker Books and Bloomsbury (sublicensees of Insight Editions) are releasing book programs.
Throughout the EMEA region, Primark – the largest European retail partner for Harry Potter-themed merchandise – produced an exclusive t-shirt in July to celebrate “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” and will now be expanding its Wizarding World offering to include more product in fashion and home décor inspired by the newest film. Additional EMEA licensees and retail partners include Carrefour in France, key book store partners in Italy, featuring stationery and publishing partners; retailers like Fnac in France and Spain, supporting with stationery, gift and novelty product; and long-standing e-commerce partner Elbenwald in Germany with apparel, publishing, stationery, gifting and novelty items.
Brazil will also see “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” product and merchandise programs throughout the country as fans will be treated to film-inspired areas in a variety of fast-fashion retailers, with apparel collections and accessories, such as Riachuelo, Renner, C&A and Marisa; and with gifts and novelties, home décor, linens and bedding also sold at Riachuelo; as well as an exciting back-to-school offering from Jandaia and Luxcel.
Asia-Pac will also bring product and programs to fans in the region with licensees and retailers from Asia, Australia, Japan and more. In Japan, various gifts and novelties, and stationery items are available from Gakken Sta:Ful, in Rock and Shochiku. In Australia/New Zealand, Jay Jays offers an apparel collection; Funko character figures are available through IKON Collectibles and sold on popcultcha.com.au; apparel, home decor, and stationery will be sold at EB Games through Licensing Essentials; and Walker Books Australia and Bloomsbury (sublicensees of Insight Edition) are releasing a publishing program.
“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”-inspired product begin to roll out this week. They will be available at retailers around the world, and online at: www.harrypottershop.com/FantasticBeasts
Press materials are also located at: wbcpmedia.warnerbros.com
Product images: https://spaces.hightail.com/receive/6GgGy
“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” marks the screenwriting debut of J.K. Rowling, whose beloved Harry Potter books were adapted into the top-grossing film franchise of all time. Her screenplay was inspired by the Hogwarts textbook “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” written by her character Newt Scamander. “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is slated for worldwide release in 2D and 3D in select theatres and IMAX on November 18, 2016, from Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
About “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”
“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is an all-new adventure returning us to the wizarding world created by J.K. Rowling. Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne (“The Theory of Everything”) stars in the central role of wizarding world magizoologist Newt Scamander, under the direction of David Yates, who helmed the last four “Harry Potter” features.
“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” opens in 1926 as Newt Scamander has just completed a global excursion to find and document an extraordinary array of magical creatures. Arriving in New York for a brief stopover, he might have come and gone without incident…were it not for a No-Maj (American for Muggle) named Jacob, a misplaced magical case, and the escape of some of Newt’s fantastic beasts, which could spell trouble for both the wizarding and No-Maj worlds.
“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” also stars Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Samantha Morton, Jon Voight, Ron Perlman, Carmen Ejogo, Jenn Murray, Faith Wood-Blagrove, and Colin Farrell.
The film marks the screenwriting debut of J.K. Rowling, whose script was inspired by the Hogwarts textbook “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” written by her character Newt Scamander.
The film reunites a number of people from the “Harry Potter” features, including producers David Heyman, J.K. Rowling, Steve Kloves and Lionel Wigram.
About Warner Bros. Consumer Products:
Warner Bros. Consumer Products, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world.