WildBrain CPLG and Sega of America (SEGA), have built on the global fandom of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise with another wave of new licensing partnerships for the Netflix series, Sonic Prime. The new partners follow the recent launch of Sonic Prime’s highly anticipated second season on Netflix in July 2023, which launched as a top-ten show in 25 countries worldwide and saw 14.7 million hours viewed in its first two weeks.
“Sonic the Hedgehog is one of the hottest entertainment brands in the world today, and its popularity amongst global audiences continues to soar,” said WildBrain CPLG EVP & MD Maarten Weck. “For our hugely popular Netflix series, Sonic Prime, we’ve signed another wave of cross-category licensing deals, in collaboration with Sega, building on the expansive slate announced earlier this year. The innovative and creative range of products for Sonic Prime has already begun to delight fans at retail, and there are many more to come this fall and winter and into 2024.”
“Coming off the successful launch of Sonic Prime season two on Netflix, the Sonic community continues to grow globally,” said Sega, America chief business and brand officer Ivo Gerscovich. “As our fans show their endless passion and dedication to the brand, we’re proud to bring our community outstanding merchandise in collaboration with exceptional partners like WildBrain.”
New licensees for Sonic Prime signed by WildBrain CPLG include- Cooneen by Design for adult and children’s apparel in the UK and Ireland; Ravensburger for puzzles, games, and arts and crafts in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA); Dulcop International for bubble bath and toys in Europe and MENA; Educa Borras for a range of toys and puzzles, including remote control figures, in Iberia, France and Lebanon; and TM Essentials for arts and crafts and stationary in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.
Additional new partners include Caresse Cosmetics for personal care products, including shower gel, lip balm and dental items available in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg (Benelux); Nuans Kozmetik for perfume and toiletries in Northern Cyprus and Türkiye; Kubbinga for outdoor products, including bicycles, scooters and accessories, in Benelux; Thor Teknoloji for confectionery in Türkiye, Europe and MENA; and Markidis for an Easter egg range in Greece.
Existing toy partner, PMI, currently on board for collectibles, mini figures, games and more, launched its Prism Toy exclusive to Walmart stores in the US this summer. Jakks Pacific, a leading designer, manufacturer, and marketer of toys, also launched its first line of licensed Sonic Prime toys and plush in July.
Co-produced by Sega and WildBrain, the CG-animated Sonic Prime series premiered worldwide on Netflix in December 2022 and immediately captured the hearts and imaginations of fans, racing to the number one spot in kids’ content worldwide on the platform.
In Sonic Prime, the action-packed adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog go into overdrive when a run-in with Dr. Eggman results in a literal universe-shattering event. Desperate to piece his prime reality back together and save his old friends, Sonic races through the Shatterverse, discovering strange worlds and enlisting new friends in an epic adventure of a lifetime.
The Sonic franchise has generated incredible momentum over recent years, with the brand’s 30th anniversary celebrated in 2021, two successful feature films from Paramount Pictures and Sega Sammy, and a third feature slated for release in December 2024. Additionally, Paramount and Sega earlier this year announced production began on Knuckles, which is the first live-action series in the expanding cinematic world of Sonic and will feature the character Knuckles voiced by Idris Elba, for Paramount+.
Sonic Prime was animated at WildBrain’s Vancouver studio, with Sega and WildBrain jointly participating across production, distribution and licensing. Sega represents licensing for Sonic Prime in North America and Japan, while WildBrain CPLG represents the brand in the rest of the world.