- SEGA and WildBrain’s CG-animated series Sonic Prime (pictured, 22 x half hours, plus a one-hour special) is about to hit more territories as part of a partnership extension with Paramount. An initial batch of 16 episodes will start rolling out on Nickelodeon next week (July 21) across multiple new countries in APAC, EMEA, LatAm and the Middle East, with the remaining episodes to follow at a later date.
- In more Paramount news, UK broadcasting outfit Narrative Entertainment is launching its POP, Tiny Pop and POP Up kids channels on the media giant’s FAST platform Pluto TV in the region. This deal puts shows like Unicorn Academy, Miraculous, Totally Spies!, Dragon Ball Super and the Barbie franchise onto the platform for the first time.
- HarperCollins has bought Crunchyroll’s manga publishing operations in France and Germany in a transaction that will close sometime this year (with regulatory approval pending). It’s part of HarperCollins’ strategy to grow its manga portfolio in Europe. Hideki Iyama-Desseigne will lead the team, reporting to Chantal Restivo-Alessi, HarperCollins’ CEO of international foreign-language publishing.
- Fledgling banner A2R2 Productions has bought the movie rights to UK doll brand Sindy, with plans to develop a “a funny, fierce and emotionally honest” live-action musical feature film with a “visionary female director”, according to THR. Sound familiar? Launched by Pedigree Dolls & Toys in 1963, regional bestseller Sindy was positioned as a British alternative to doll market leader Barbie, and at one point even faced a lawsuit from Mattel for breach of copyright before Hasbro—which held the rights to Sindy in the ’80s—agreed to remodel the product.
DEALS: Sonic Prime speeds into more territories on Nick
Also, HarperCollins acquires Crunchyroll's manga operations in France and Germany, while Barbie's British rival Sindy gets ready for her close-up.
July 17, 2025
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