TORONTO, June 11, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Spin Master Ltd., a global leader in children's entertainment and one of the top five U.S. toy manufacturers, will retain the global license for the popular DreamWorks Animation franchise, How to Train Your Dragon, with many new play opportunities on the horizon. As part of the continued license, fans of the franchise can expect to see a variety of new toys including figures, playsets, plush, and flying toys that bring Hiccup, Toothless and the characters of the franchise to life. Toys supporting HTTYD3 will be on shelves worldwide when the third instalment of the franchise is released, which is currently scheduled for 2018. "Spin Master has been a proud partner of the How to Train Your Dragon franchise since its launch and we are so pleased to be continuing this relationship into the next phase of the brand," says Adam Beder, executive vice president of global licensing for Spin Master. "The Dragons franchise has seen incredible success through its inspirational and entertaining storytelling. With a new movie on the way, we are thrilled to continue bringing these amazing characters to the children who love them." "Spin Master continues to be a fantastic partner for us on the Dragons franchise and we're thrilled to extend this relationship as we maintain momentum with fans into and through the release of the third film," said DreamWorks Animation's Head of Consumer Products Jim Fielding. "This is truly a 365 day property between film, television, home entertainment and interactive, and the consistency of a top-flight partner like Spin Master is a significant boon for the program." The action-packed franchise follows Hiccup, his dragon Toothless, and the Vikings of Berk as they learn to live together and fight for each other. Their story struck a chord with audiences and critics alike, with the first two films together bringing in more than $1 billion at the worldwide box office. Fans of the franchise can also experience the Dragons' other incarnations, including an all-new Netflix original series, interactive experiences and more. The latest installment of the franchise, How to Train Your Dragon 3, continues the epic adventures of Hiccup and Toothless and is currently scheduled for release in June 2018. For additional information please contact: Tara Tucker Vice President, Global Marketing Communications Spin Master Ltd. tarat@spinmaster.com About Spin Master Ltd. Spin Master is a leading global children's entertainment company that creates, designs, manufactures and markets a diverse portfolio of innovative products, brands and entertainment properties. Spin Master is best known for award-winning brands including Bakugan Battle Brawlers™, Air Hogs®, Spin Master Games™ and the 2015 Toy of the Year, Zoomer™ Dino. Since 2005, Spin Master has received 58 TIA Toy of The Year (TOTY) nominations with 14 wins across a variety of product categories. Spin Master has been recognized with 11 TOTY nominations for Innovative Toy of the Year, more than any of its competitors. Spin Master is among a limited number of companies that not only develop and produce global entertainment properties, characters and content, but also monetize that content through the creation, sale and licensing of products. To date, Spin Master has produced five television series, including 2007 hit series Bakugan and its current hit PAW Patrol, which is broadcast in over 160 countries and territories globally. Spin Master employs over 850 people with offices in Canada, United States, France, Italy, United Kingdom, Bratislava, Germany, Holland, Mexico, China, Hong Kong and Japan. About DreamWorks Animation DreamWorks Animation creates high-quality entertainment, including CG animated feature films, television specials and series and live entertainment properties, meant for audiences around the world. The Company has world-class creative talent, a strong and experienced management team and advanced filmmaking technology and techniques. All of DreamWorks Animation's feature films are produced in 3D. The Company has theatrically released a total of 31 animated feature films, including the franchise properties of Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon, Puss In Boots and The Croods.
Joshua Tucker Global Communications Manager
