Thunderbird Brands has announced the appointment of renowned toymaker Jazwares as global master toy licensee for Mermicorno: Starfall.
The licensing program for the new original Thunderbird-owned-IP (intellectual property) created and being produced by Atomic Cartoons, in partnership with design tastemaker tokidoki, is being co-managed by Thunderbird Brands and tokidoki. The pair will team up with Jazwares on a multi-category toy line.
Jazwares has secured the exclusive global rights to produce figures, dolls, playsets, vehicles, plush, Squishmallows, Halloween costumes, pet costumes and accessories, everyday dress-up, role play, musical instruments, and novelty items based on the animated series Mermicorno: Starfall for all distribution channels, including mass-market, e-commerce and direct-to-consumer platforms.
The concept of Mermicorno: Starfall is drawn from tokidoki’s hit Mermicorno characters. The first Mermicorno debuted in 2015 and the Mermicorno character family launched worldwide with collectibles, apparel, accessories and more in 2016.
The initial Mermicorno: Starfall toy line is set to launch with a limited product assortment in spring 2025, followed by a larger rollout in fall 2025.
“We could not have hoped for a better partner than Jazwares for this exciting property,” said Thunderbird President of Global Distribution & Consumer Products, Richard Goldsmith. “Jazwares is an innovator in the toy business and thoroughly understands not only the DNA of Mermicorno: Starfall, but also the huge opportunity it presents to launch this brand into the mass market with fun and cool products for the underserved girls five to nine demo.”
“Collaborating with Thunderbird and tokidoki on Mermicorno: Starfall is a prime example of Jazwares’ unparalleled ability to bring new entertainment properties to life like nobody else can,” said Jeremy Padawer, Chief Brand Officer, Jazwares. “Our lineup will bring epic new ways for kids to play, collect, and connect with their favourite Mermicorno characters.”
“It’s my honour and joy to work with a company as unique and impressive as Jazwares,” said Simone Legno, tokidoki co-founder and Chief Creative Officer. “I have designed collectibles for almost 20 years, but I feel that thanks to Jazwares’ experience in the market, I will be able to bring my toy designs and knowledge to the next level.”
“The opportunity to work with Jazwares and their incredibly talented team is a dream come true for us. We waited so long to align ourselves with the perfect partners,” said tokidoki co-founder and CEO, Pooneh Mohajer.
Warner Bros. Discovery has secured exclusive rights to the series in the U.S., now in production at Thunderbird’s Atomic Cartoons, which will debut on Max in early 2025. Additional international sales of the series will be announced over the coming months.
The new animated series is a smart and fun adventure-comedy that takes place in a fantastical and magical undersea world, where a team of Mermicornos (enchanting half-unicorn/half-mermaid creatures) join together to save the ocean from an evil threat. During their epic mission, our heroes unlock the magic of creative self-expression, discover new depths of friendship, and find the best bowl of ramen in the sea.
Thunderbird Brands, in consultation with tokidoki, is currently focused on building out the licensee roster for Mermicorno: Starfall, targeting publishing, interactive and apparel partners to join the burgeoning program.
