Burbank, Calif. – February 2, 2015 – Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP), DC Entertainment, and Warner Bros. Animation today unveiled an unprecedented wave of content inspired by two of the company’s most successful toy lines developed in partnership with Mattel and Fisher-Price. Inspired by Mattel’s new toy line, Batman Unlimited will launch in 2015 with new made-for-video movies and shorts that will extend the play experience for kids. DC Super Friends, inspired by the Fisher-Price Imaginext toy line, will also offer original content as a series of shorts launching in spring of 2015. Bringing dimension to the action figures and playsets available in toy aisles globally, each program will engage millions of young fans around the world like never before.
Batman Unlimited will debut as a made-for-video animated movie entitled Batman Unlimited: Animal Instincts that stars Batman alongside key Super Hero allies such as The Flash, Red Robin and Green Arrow, coming face to face with DC Comics Super-Villain, The Penguin, and never-before-seen cyber animals. The sequel is set to release the second half of 2015. Batman Unlimited: Animal Instincts will be available on May 12, 2015 on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and Digital HD from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.
“We are excited to continue to forge new ground with our long-time partners Mattel and Fisher-Price to build on the success of these popular toy lines by bringing the play pattern to life through this original content that we will be able to offer across multiple platforms,” said Brad Globe, President, Warner Bros. Consumer Products.
Adding to the slate of new Batman Unlimited content, Warner Bros. will release 22 stand-alone, two-minute shorts. Featuring additional story elements, the shorts will be available for fans to enjoy online for free on dedicated channels. Companion apps will also be produced for young fans to extend and develop their experience in an interactive new way.
“We are thrilled to be working with our Warner Bros., Mattel and Fisher-Price colleagues to create new Batman and DC Super Friends kids’ content,” stated DC Entertainment President Diane Nelson. “These new animated projects will offer all new Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman adventures that seamlessly jump from toybox to screen.”
Building upon Mattel’s hugely successful Batman toy line, the new Batman Unlimited content will bring a new wave of Mattel toys expanded under the banner of Batman Unlimited, including action figures with Animal Ally accessories, a new Batmobile, and the all-new CybeRex robot dinosaur, all featured in the Batman Unlimited content. Additionally, DC Comics master costume partner, Rubie’s Costumes, has signed on to support the new content with a line of inspired-by dress-up and costumes; and toymaker Thinkway will introduce new Batman Unlimited-themed role-play accessories. Batman Unlimited will also have a major QSR partner in 2015, with other key categories, such as apparel, to be announced at a later time.
“Our longstanding collaboration with WBCP has given Mattel the opportunity to engage fans of all ages with the very best in DC Comics Super Hero play,” said Doug Wadleigh, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Mattel Toy Box. “It is a true compliment that our evergreen DC Comics toy lines have inspired a whole new universe of storytelling that will dramatically expand kids’ imaginative play with their favorite Super Heroes.”
Also debuting in spring 2015, Warner Bros. Animation will release a slate of DC Super Friends animated shorts featuring designs inspired by the popular Fisher-Price Imaginext DC Super Friends toy line. The 15 three-minute shorts will extend the characters’ storylines for fans to enjoy online for free on dedicated channels. Accompanying the shorts will be the release of companion apps that offer young DC Comics fans the chance to advance the storyline and further engage with their favorite characters.
DC Super Friends content will build upon the existing world of Fisher-Price Imaginext DC Super Friends toys with an expansion of the toy line following the shorts. Exciting additions to the line include all-new playset environments seen in the shorts such as The Joker Laff Factory, as well as a new design of the fan-favorite Batcave, all of which will feature Imaginext’s interactive Power Pad, enabling kids to activate key features in the toy. Among other key categories to come, Publishing partners will also partake in the expanded universe of DC Super Friends storytelling with new titles.
