Four live-action specials from the Mattel-owned American Girl doll brand to join Amazon’s award-winning original kids programming slate.
SEATTLE -- Amazon announced it has signed a multi-year, multimillion dollar production deal with American Girl, a premium brand for girls and subsidiary of Mattel Inc., to produce four live-action specials and options to produce multiple seasons of episodic content, based on the brand’s beloved characters. Two of the specials will feature characters from the BeForever franchise and one of the specials will feature characters from Girl of the Year franchise. The first special is scheduled to premiere on Amazon Prime Video in the US, UK, Germany and Austria later this year.
“American Girl resonates strongly with kids and parents alike through its message of self-confidence, adventure, exploration and learning,” said Tara Sorensen, Head of Kids Programming, Amazon Studios. “Their research dives deep and adds rich layers to the IP that are unparalleled in this space which, in turn, will facilitate a truly enriched on-screen experience.”
“Amazon Studios has differentiated itself by creating shows that bring more than just entertainment to families,” said Catherine Balsam-Schwaber, Chief Content Officer of Mattel Inc. “Their focus on creating positive role models that both inspire and educate was an absolute perfect fit with Mattel’s mission of creating purposeful play. Partnering with Amazon shows our commitment to innovation and to bringing content to our customers where, when and how they want to watch it.”
“The Amazon Studios and American Girl ethos are so closely aligned,” said Juliana Chugg, Global Core Brands Officer. “American Girl’s roots are in creating smart, engaging content for girls. Amazon Studios will help us further our mission to champion and unite even more fans by bringing our popular characters to life in a whole new way. We can’t wait for families to enjoy the new American Girl specials together.”
Through its long history of empowering girls with its line of dolls and books, American Girl’s BeForever historical line gives girls today the opportunity to explore the past, find their place in the present, and think about the possibilities their future can bring. The brand’s wildly popular Girl of the Year characters give voice to a diverse range of personalities and reflect the interests and experiences of today’s girls, with each character different and showing girls there is no limit to what they can accomplish.
The American Girl live-action specials will join Amazon’s original kids programming slate, including live-action series Just Add Magic that recently set a record as the most successful Amazon Original Kids premiere weekend in terms of US Prime Video streams and hours, Emmy award-nominated live-action series Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street, Emmy award-nominated live-action series and Youth Media Alliance Awards Grand Prize winner Annedroids from Sinking Ship Entertainment; and three preschool series, including the Annecy, Annie and multi-Emmy award-winning Tumble Leaf from Bix Pix Entertainment, and Creative Galaxy and Wishenpoof from Emmy award-nominated Angela C. Santomero and Out of the Blue Enterprises, the creators of Blue’s Clues. Annedroids, Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street, Tumble Leaf and Wishenpoof were recently honored by the Parents’ Choice Foundation.
Source: Amazon
Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.
