San Diego, CA; July 17, 2017 – The National Entertainment Collectibles Association (NECA), an entertainment conglomerate and global leader in licensed consumer goods, has signed a deal to produce a multi-category lineup of merchandise with Oscar®-winning animation studio LAIKA. NECA will arrive in San Diego with an exclusive action figure for sale at Comic-Con®, a Coraline in a Deluxe Display Box, and will be promoting the high end bespoke replicas of LAIKA’S hero puppets from its four Oscar®- nominated films: Coraline (2009), ParaNorman (2012), The Boxtrolls (2014) and Kubo and the Two Strings (2016). The deal was brokered by licensing agency Striker Entertainment, which represents the rights to the LAIKA library of legacy and future films.
Founded in Portland, Oregon in 2005, LAIKA’s mission has been to blend art, craft, science and technology to tell new, original, and innovative stories. The studio’s community of storytellers, artists, inventors, technicians, and craftspeople from around the world is committed to making “movies that matter.”
The deal with NECA coincides with LAIKA’s pop-up exhibit The LAIKA Experience, which is now running in San Diego through July 23rd. The exhibit, located at 520 Fifth Avenue in the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter, features props, puppets, monsters, and sets from LAIKA’s award-winning films as well as fan art, photo ops with LAIKA’s costumed characters, daily drawings for a pair of Nike’s LAIKA-themed shoes designed by Tinker Hatfield, social media activations, giveaways, and more. Travis Knight, President & CEO of LAIKA and director of Kubo and the Two Strings, is scheduled for an autograph session on Friday, July 21st at 3pm. LAIKA merchandise is also available at the pop-up store at The LAIKA Experience.
Highlights of NECA’s multi-category merchandise lineup include:
● Bespoke reproduction hero puppets (Coraline, Norman, Eggs and Kubo) available for consumer orders by end of 2017. More characters will follow.
● Limited edition (only 3000) Coraline in a Deluxe Display Box exclusive action figure will be available at the NECA booth (#3145) at San Diego Comic-Con and at The LAIKA Experience pop-up shop.
Future products will include:
● Traditional articulated and/or non-articulated figures and/or dolls, sold with or without scenes/backdrops
● Resin statues
● Plush figures
● Bobble head figures
● Stylized vinyl toys
● Large scale foam figures
● Prop replicas
● Board games
“We are thrilled to have kicked off our new licensing program with this deal,” says Brad Wald, LAIKA’s CFO and SVP of Business Operations. “There’s a history in working together with NECA on top-selling Coraline replicas (one is back by popular demand and available exclusively at the pop-up store at The LAIKA Experience). NECA is a leader in the industry in providing quality fan-based products and we’re excited to offer a wide portfolio to consumers that reflects LAIKA’s dynamic characters and unique aesthetic. We’re particularly excited by the bespoke puppet reproductions, which answer an ardent fan request that dates back to our first film.”
“Having worked with LAIKA in the past, we experienced that spark that is so necessary, yet so rare,” says NECA President Joel Weinshanker. “We look forward to working with the amazingly creative folks at LAIKA to bring their amazing characters in physical form to the masses.”
About NECA
The National Entertainment Collectibles Association Inc. (NECA) is a media and entertainment company operating in the United States and internationally, with three segments: Consumer Products, Traditional & Online Marketing, and IP Distribution. NECA is the leading designer, marketer, and worldwide distributor of licensed entertainment consumer goods based on some of the world’s most established and beloved properties, providing products across all consumer categories and distribution channels. Together, NECA’s divisions provide a comprehensive, end-toend solution to elevate each property, maximizing exposure and reach, while protecting the vision of the creator. As a result of NECA’s singular passion and reverence for the intellectual property backing its products, some of this generation’s most recognized content creators enjoy working with NECA. For additional information, visit www.necaonline.com. NECA Comic-Con booth #3145
About LAIKA
Fueled by the vision of its owner, Nike co-founder and former Chairman Philip H. Knight, and its President & CEO Travis Knight, feature film animation studio LAIKA was founded in 2005. Located just outside Portland, Oregon, LAIKA was awarded a Scientific and Technology Oscar® for its innovation in 3D printing in 2016. Its four films, Kubo and the Two Strings (2016); The Boxtrolls (2014); ParaNorman (2012), and Coraline (2009) were all nominated for Oscars® and PGA Awards as Outstanding Animated Film. Kubo, which marked the directorial debut of Travis Knight, also received an Oscar® nomination for Outstanding Visual Effects. Kubo won this year’s BAFTA Award as well as three Annie Awards, the National Board of Review and 19 regional and critics’ group awards. The Boxtrolls also earned Critics’ Choice and Golden Globe Award nominations and 13 Annie Award nominations, more than any other film that year. ParaNorman garnered BAFTA, Critics’ Choice, and GLAAD Media Award nominations and won two Annie Awards and was cited as the year’s best animated film by 14 critics’ groups. Coraline earned Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Critics’ Choice nominations, and was named one of the year’s 10 Best Films by the American Film Institute (AFI). For more information, visit http://www.LAIKA.com.
ABOUT STRIKER ENTERTAINMENT
Striker Entertainment is a Los Angeles-based full-service global licensing agency dedicated to maximizing licensing opportunities and building brand equity for its clients. Striker represents many of Hollywood’s most exciting entertainment properties including The Walking Dead, Five Nights at Freddy’s, Preacher, Orphan Black, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, Exploding Kittens, and We Happy Few. Striker has won several Licensing Industry Excellence Awards for its licensing programs, including The Walking Dead, The Twilight Saga, The Hunger Games, and Angry Birds. Celebrating its tenth year and headed by industry veterans Russell Binder and Marc Mostman, Striker’s client roster includes AMC, Amblin Partners, J.K. Benton Studios, EuropaCorp, Sony Pictures Television, and several others. For more information, visit www.strikerentertainment.com. Media Contact: Maggie Begley/MBC Maggie@mbcprinc.com O: 310.390.0101 M: 310.749.3055