“PAW Patrol: The Movie” will be released in Italian theaters on September 23
“PAW Patrol: The Movie,” is directed by Carl Brunker and will be released in Italian theaters on September 23. The film is presented by Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon Movies and Spin Master Entertainment and is a Spin Master Entertainment production, distributed by Eagle Pictures.
“PAW Patrol: The Movie,” is a feature film starring the superpowered puppies from the children’s animated series of the same name, which has been airing on Nick Jr. since forever.
The positive values conveyed by the cartoon are embraced by children in 170 countries: the principles of friendship, mutual aid and team spirit inspire young viewers around the world who, like the unbeatable puppies, overcome their fears day after day, supported by those who love them. The PAW Patrol series took shape in 2012, thanks to the insight of the Canadian brand Spin Master, the producer of the cartoon, broadcasted from the beginning by ViacomCBS on its pre-school brands. PAW Patrol will continue to evolve by introducing new themes and characters to share with fans of today and tomorrow.
The Licensing, led by Simone Fenu responsible for ViacomCBS Consumer Products for Italy, Greece and Malta, is one of the main business lines of ViacomCBS strategy, both at a global and local level with a pipeline of products distributed on different targets. The pre-school area is certainly the most productive in terms of agreements and results. PAW Patrol, the property of the Spin Master series that has always been broadcast in Italy on NickJr (Sky channel 603), has seen double-digit growth in 2020, thanks to a high level of appreciation and awareness at a global level.
PAW Patrol, in addition to the TV series, is also a success at the cinema. How is the film doing in countries where it has already been launched?
The arrival of “PAW Patrol: The Movie” in cinemas has been greeted with great enthusiasm; the news was given at the beginning of the year together with our partners Spin Master Entertainment and our “sister” division Paramount Pictures. Finally, our award-winning franchise, which has been growing for years in the pre-school target audience, after its worldwide success is ready to make its debut in Italy from September 23rd at the cinema. We at ViacomCBS Italia can’t wait for children and families to enjoy this experience together.
The enthusiasm in Italy for the release of the film comes from the great success achieved internationally; in addition to the record-breaking debut in streaming, “PAW Patrol: The Movie” has had a strong result in cinemas in countries where it has already been released: the film has been welcomed with enthusiasm by the public and is now at the top of the charts. It is No. 1 in France, Germany, Mexico, Norway, Hungary and Portugal and No. 2 in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., the Netherlands and Austria.
What are the adventures that PAW Patrol experiences in the movie?
I can say that there are certainly many adventures, especially the meeting with the new dachshund puppy, Liberty! In July I attended the exclusive preview of the first 5 minutes of the film at the Giffoni Film Festival and the whole room, filled with children, was thrilled! This time Ryder and his friends (Chase, Marshall, Rubble, Skye, Zuma and Rocky) are summoned to Adventure City for a new mission. Adventure City, however, is not only the setting of the new PAW Patrol adventure, but also the city to which one of the pups is bound, who once arrived here will have to face his past.
What are the activities supporting the launch of the film, on TV and other platforms?
As I mentioned before, we participated in the Giffoni Film Festival in July and, a few days before the debut in Italy, we will organize two big previews in Rome and Milan. In addition, NickJr, our preschool brand that has always aired the animated series on channel 603 on Sky, is dedicating September to the beloved puppies. From September 20 at 17:50 every day it will air a marathon dedicated to a PAW Patrol puppy, and “Liberty” will also be presented with a special promo.
From September 27, the brand new episodes of season 8 will start. New rescues on land, sky and sea await Ryder and his team of puppies equipped as always with super technological gadgets. In addition to this, we will have a strong retail campaign in the main Italian stores with dedicated spaces, promotional islands and contests.
Obviously, this movie inspired new product lines. Who are the partners on board and what new features are planned for this IP consumer products front?
This first venture into the world of feature films marks an important strategic expansion of our business that will allow us to strengthen the bond between young fans and the characters of the series through the “shared cinema” experience. Today in Italy there are more than 40 active licensees on this property. The new toy line dedicated to the film signed by Spin Master has already arrived in toy stores: a collection with realistic details that bring the adventures of the puppies off the big screen and into the homes of all Italian children!
In addition to the new characters and vehicles, with decorations recalling the fantasies and liveries of “PAW Patrol: The Movie”, an exclusive playset is launching: the PAW Patrol Headquarters. It is more than one meter high and full of extraordinary features such as the illuminated rescue ramp, the working elevator and a vehicle launcher.
Less than a month ago the new video game “PAW Patrol: The Movie Adventure City Calls” arrived in Italy for PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Xbox (only in digital version in Italy) and Steam.
We will continue to implement our development plan with the main e-commerce platforms and marketplaces. The Consumer Products business has grown a lot on the mass market side thanks to important partnerships reaching consumers all over Italy. In general, a year-round strategy was implemented to support, through digital campaigns, both the release of the film and the daily airing of the episodes on our channels.
Sky Media – concessionaire of the Sky Italia Group – is in charge of advertising sales for the Nickelodeon channels in Italy.
