Feature - Licensing Focus

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The months ahead are absolutely bursting at the seams with blockbuster movies and big-budget TV shows following the disruption of 2023/24, meaning kids and families, as well as major toy and game licensees, will be spoiled for choice both in terms of entertainment and consumer products. Toy World’s Rachael Simpson-Jones sums up what’s on the horizon in what is shaping up to be a very big year indeed.

When the SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) went on strike over a labour dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) in 2023, it spelled disaster for 2024’s movie and TV slate. Numerous productions were shut down, releases were pushed back, and actors were discouraged from promoting films and shows that had already been made.

Fast forward to 2025 though, and the silver lining to all the disruption is that this year’s slate is packed with family-friendly goodies that will have viewers heading to the cinema (or their front rooms) in their droves, and licensees clamouring to lock down consumer product deals (if they haven’t already).

Let’s get the obvious one out of the way first: Lilo & Stitch. Arriving in cinemas 23rd May, this live-action remake of the beloved 2002 animation looks set to smash box office records. In fact, it’s tipped for such big things that we felt it was only right to partner with our good friends at Disney Consumer Products to produce a dedicated, standalone Stitch supplement alongside this issue. Featuring exclusive insight from the Disney team, plus Q&As and product info on a raft of licensed toys, games and kids’ products, make sure you check it out.

Elsewhere on the big screen, Warner Bros.’ A Minecraft Movie, released in April, looks set to pass the $500m worldwide box office takings milestone for 2025, making it the first Hollywood blockbuster of the year to do so, having already secured the best domestic debut of the year and the best ever for a video game movie adaptation. And while one must spare a thought for the poor ushers clearing up the aisles post chicken-jockey mayhem, there’s no denying that the film has provided enthusiastic audiences with a ‘unique’ cinema-going experience that’s generated global headlines.

A Minecraft Movie comes hot on the heels of Mojang Studio’s 15th anniversary in 2024. The company continues to celebrate by bringing fans new ways to build on their love of the game. Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue, an immersive location-based attraction that first debuted in Dallas, Texas, last October, made its UK and European debut on 4th April 2025 at London’s Corner Corner venue. Mojang also has partnered with Netflix to produce a CG-animated Minecraft series, which will introduce an original story with new characters, reflecting the game’s dynamic world in a fresh narrative format.

Summer promises warmer weather, longer days - and even more major movies. June 13th heralds the arrival of another major live-action remake: DreamWorks’ How To Train Your Dragon. Full disclosure, I am a megafan of the original animated franchise and therefore utterly biased… but this absolutely looks glorious. With Dean DeBlois once again in the saddle and John Powell returning with sympathetic adaptations of his emotional orchestral score, plus The Black Phone’s breakthrough star Mason Thames on board as the convention-breaking Hiccup, existing fans can look forward to a very faithful remake, and new ones a stunning, resonant tale of what it means to choose love and friendship over familial expectations.

Jurassic World Rebirth, from Universal Pictures, roars into cinemas on 2nd July, giving fans of the franchise a comfortably familiar storyline to get their teeth into – you know the drill: dinosaurs, an island, experts and scientists paired with hapless civilians etc. – courtesy of David Koepp, who wrote the first two Jurassic Park Films and has assured audiences that this latest instalment will revisit JP’s core dino DNA. James Gunn’s much-anticipated take on Superman will then fly into cinemas on 9th July, following a hugely positive reaction to the official trailer released in early April. And while the Man of Steel is the hero of the movie, Krypto the Superdog might just be the hero of the toy aisle, if viewer reactions to the adorable white mongrel are anything to go by.

Later in the year, there’s also Universal Pictures’ Wicked: For Good (21st November), which concludes the fantastical story of Glinda (Ariana Grande) and Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), and 20th Century’s Avatar: Fire and Ash (19th December), the third instalment in James Cameron’s performance-capture CGI epic. Both skew slightly older in terms of consumer product, so expect plenty more in the way of collectibles, figures, apparel and accessories aimed at kidult fans.

On the small screen, we’ve already binged season two of the dystopian Korean gameshow drama Squid Game, while the long-awaited final instalment of Stranger Things and series two of Wednesday will both debut on Netflix this year, though we don’t yet know when. Anticipation for both series is high; they’ve certainly kept audiences waiting long enough. In the case of Stranger Things, the lengthy gaps between series – the first season aired 10 years ago in 2015, would you believe it - have seen the adorable schoolkids become lanky young adults with facial hair and deep voices. Still, the fifth and final season is likely to be a worthy end to a franchise that has been consistently brilliant ever since viewers first entered the Upside Down.

At the younger end of the content spectrum, excitement is growing for the patter of piglet hooves ever since Hasbro announced that pre-school icon Mummy Pig was a pregnant porcine and that Peppa and George are set to become big siblings (piglings?) to a little sister. The Peppa Meets the Baby Cinema Experience, a special, big screen experience that offers “an hour of laughter, tears and loads of heartwarming moments”, will be arriving in more than 2,600 cinemas across 14 countries beginning 30th May 2025 to celebrate the special new arrival, which looks set to rejuvenate this classic property.

The Paw Patrol action, meanwhile, hots up with the new autumn/winter Fire Rescue theme, giving licensees new ways to bring the adventures to kids across figures, play sets and collectibles, while a new series of spin-off Rubble & Crew will also launch this year. Bluey maintains its place as the No. 1 pre-school property following the release of extra-long Easter special The Sign, which tackled big themes and life milestones such as house moves and marriages, and Studio 100’s Vegesaurs will be distributed to family audiences in North America this year. Fans can also look forward to seasonal YouTube specials and a brand-new Vegesaurs immersive experience, which made its debut in Australia in January. 2025 also marks the 10th anniversary of Miraculous - Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir. Broadcast in over 150 countries, Miraculous will unveil season six in early 2025, with season seven already in production for a 2026 release. And Dora the Explorer turns 25 this year, the same year seasons three and four of the new animation arrive (and a live-action Dora film, Dora & the Search for Sol Dorado, is scheduled to premiere on Paramount+ in 2025 too).

It’s a big year for sport too. Automotive racing enjoys pole position on the grid thanks to F1, a big-budget drama following Brad Pitt’s down-and-out driver as he attempts a comeback within the fast-paced world of Formula 1, while the new-look FIFA World Cup kicks off in the USA on 14th June and the UEFA Champions League on 13th September. In women’s sport, the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 starts in Switzerland from 2nd July, while closer to home, the 2025-26 Barclays Women’s Super League and Barclays Women’s Championship seasons get underway the weekend of 6th/7th September. There’s also the Women's Rugby World Cup and the Women's Cricket World Cup, if football isn’t your thing. All tournaments will undoubtedly encourage kids to grab a ball of some description and get outside, meaning sports team licensees and outdoor toy specialists will be in for a bumper year – especially if the pleasant weather we’ve enjoyed recently holds out.

In gaming, Stumble Guys continues to make strides by forging great new partnerships, including Scopely’s most recent collaboration with Gen Z and Gen Alpha sensation Skibidi Toilet. Readers can find out all about the studio’s plans for 2025, and how it continues to tap into the Consumer Products space, in the exclusive interview near the start of our Character Licensed Merchandise feature within this issue. Rovio’s Angry Birds is flying high following its celebratory 15th anniversary in 2024 and the launch of its new longform series, Angry Birds Mystery Island, on Amazon Prime and Kids+.

The Talking Tom & Friends franchise, meanwhile, is enjoying huge success in the gaming industry and is now poised for further growth by expanding into television, consumer products and even live entertainment. Talking Tom Heroes: Suddenly Super is a new animated series that offers a new twist on the Talking Tom & Friends universe. Suddenly Super is set to launch on BBC’s CBeebies in the UK later this year, marking a key milestone in the series’ international growth. Look out for this issue’s exclusive Q&A with the studio behind Talking Tom, Outfit7, to discover more about its plans for the franchise and new Consumer Products partnerships.

It’s also interesting to see how toy brands are positioning themselves within the licensing sector. Doubtless inspired by the success of properties such as Squishmallows and Fuzzballs, Posh Paws’ Kawaii Kuties, Innov8’s Deddy Bears and Libertas Brands’ Fuggler are all eyeballing opportunities to transform from toys to character-led consumer products. Given the success of these ranges to date, and the social media buzz that surrounds them, licensees should certainly consider checking them out.

Looking a little further ahead, Pokémon is preparing to celebrate its 30th anniversary next year. The world’s largest single property, Pokémon has been a huge success at retail this Q1 (sell-out success Prismatic Evolutions has had queues forming outside retailers across the country) and will welcome new content and in-game events across its wide range of video games and apps, new physical trading cards and a raft of toys and collectibles, with fans keener than ever to catch ‘em all.

2026 will also be an exciting year for fans of Warner Bros.’ Wizarding World as Max, the newly branded streaming service for HBO, brings Harry Potter back to life as a TV series. A recent cast announcement revealed that Six-time Emmy and two-time Tony Award-winning actor John Lithgow (most recently seen in Oscar-nominated papal thriller Conclave) is on board to play Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore, while Nick Frost (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Paul) has big shoes to fill as Hagrid. Tony Award and Golden Globe Award-winning actor Janet McTeer (Me Before You, The Menu) takes on the role of the beloved Minerva McGonagall and Paapa Essiedu (I May Destroy You, Black Mirror) has been cast as Severus Snape. Although there are a huge number of roles yet to fill – the actor playing He Who Must Not Be Named has, for example, has not yet been named - this is clearly going to be a big-budget adaptation of the books that will offer witches, wizards and muggles alike a new way to immerse themselves in this magical world.

Slated to run over 10 years - the same length of time as the movie franchise - all we can say is when it comes to this series is… wands at the ready.