Disney and Lego announce strategic licensing relationship

[ALIASd]

Disney and LEGO Group Announce Strategic Licensing Relationship

AnimationWorldNetwork
February 16, 2009

The LEGO Group and Disney Consumer Products have announced a multi-year licensing agreement that gives the world's premiere construction toy brand access to an extensive portfolio of renowned Disney and Disney Pixar properties. LEGO and LEGO DUPLO products are currently in development for three franchises -- Disney Pixar's Toy Story and Cars, and Prince of Persia -- all scheduled to launch in 2010.

Children's imaginations will go "To infinity and beyond" when, beginning in 2010, they will be able to re-create the adventures of Buzz Lightyear and Woody with LEGO toys inspired by the TOY STORY franchise. TOY STORY-themed construction sets will be available on both LEGO DUPLO and LEGO System platforms, building the adventure and fun for children ages 2-12. LEGO System products based on TOY STORY and TOY STORY 2 will launch in January 2010, to be followed in May by construction sets based on the new animated feature, TOY STORY 3, scheduled to hit theaters in Disney Digital 3D June 2010. Toy Story-themed LEGO DUPLO products launch in June 2010.

Lightning McQueen will rev his engine at the starting line of a DUPLO portfolio that will have young builders creating and exploring the high-octane world of the CARS franchise. The CARS-themed LEGO DUPLO line will feature iconic scenes from Radiator Springs and the Piston Cup Championship raceway and will feature favorite Cars characters like McQueen, Mater and Sally. CARS-themed LEGO DUPLO products are scheduled to launch in June 2010.

A line of LEGO System construction toys based on Walt Disney Pictures' and Jerry Bruckheimer Films' PRINCE OF PERSIA: SANDS OF TIME, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, directed by Mike Newell and scheduled to release in May 2010 is also in development. The film, based on the best-selling video game franchise of the same name, stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Ben Kingsley, Alfred Molina and Gemma Arterton in an epic tale of Prince Dastan's struggle to stop an evil ruler from unleashing a sandstorm that could destroy the world. PRINCE OF PERSIA-themed LEGO products are scheduled to launch in April 2010.

AWN Headline News

[seafaring_ghost]

Here's hoping that they make theme park attraction based sets in the future too since they have the groundwork for that now.

[Mr. Yeti]

Originally Posted by seafaring_ghost

Here's hoping that they make theme park attraction based sets in the future too since they have the groundwork for that now.

My thoughts exactly!

[Melonballer]

We have been chatting about that in the Collector's thread. Another cool piece of Disney Toy news is the expansion of Tonner Dolls Disney Offerings. He is making dolls of Aurora, Cinderella, Snow White, Belle, and Maleficent. That is not including his POTC dolls.

[vfire]

It's about time Disney and Lego got together as a partnership to print money.
Let's hope for some theme park based sets in the future... DL castle in Lego would be awesome.

[BC_DisneyGeek]

I'd buy Disney theme park LEGO sets in a heartbeat.

I'm not sure what they're planning with Toy Story, it doesn't strike me as a property that goes well with LEGO, but we shall see.

This is good news in any case, I've seen the MEGA BLOX POTC sets and they just can't hold a candle to the LEGO brand, which I love.

[disneyfan07]

since my niece and nephews are BIG lego and disney fans, to them this would be the best of both worlds. heres hoping that a) the lego store in down town disney carries the disney themed lego and duplo sets and in the parks as well, and b) all other stores carry the disney themed lego sets.

[whitealexander]

this is a good news on both parties... yeah im looking forward to the futuristic or lego block theme..