The girls are coming to Amazon. This week, the streaming service announced it has greenlit a special deal with the popular Mattel doll brand American Girl.
The deal will include “four live-action specials” featuring the “brand’s beloved characters.”
Founded in 1986, American Girl produces a range of both historical and modern dolls that come with their own backstory and books. The Amazon specials will feature two stories from their historical doll line, BeForever, and at least one special from their Girl of the Year line.
The specials are slated to begin later this year, and the deal has the option to produce full seasons of content if the specials are successful.
From Juliana Chugg, Global Core Brands Officer:
The Amazon Studios and American Girl ethos are so closely aligned. 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.”
Read the full announcement below:
Amazon Inks Production Deal with Mattel, Inc. to Greenlight American Girl Specials for Prime Video
Four live-action specials from one of the world’s top brands for girls will join Amazon’s award-winning original kids programming slate
SEATTLE — Feb. 1, 2016 — (NASDAQ:AMZN) — Amazon today announced it has signed a multi-year, multimillion dollar production deal with American Girl, a premium brand for girls and subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAT), 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.”
What do you think? Are you a fan of the American Girl brand? Would you let your kids watch the Amazon specials? Would you want a full series?
