MUMBAI: SMC Entertainment Group, an entertainment and brand management company, has stitched slew of licensing agreements in the US for The Jungle Book TV series.

SMC had acquired licensing rights of the first season of the series for North America from DQ Entertainment.

The Jungle Book is scheduled to debut on 11 June on Disney XD in the US.

SMC has signed a slate of new US licensees, including Phase 4 Films as the property?s home entertainment and digital distribution partner; Isaac Morris as its master apparel partner; Komar for children?s sleepwear; Insights Editions for Young Readers Book series; Seasons USA for Halloween costumes; Nanco-Nancy Sales for amusement plush and novelties; Pacific Play Tents for children?s play tents; Barnes & Noble for ebooks; United States Playing Card Company for customised playing cards, and My Idol Pops for figural lollypops.

"The new animated series for The Jungle Book has ignited interest from the licensing and merchandising community because it combines the best of both worlds. You have the incredible legacy of The Jungle Book delivered in a fresh, colorful and engaging series that entertains children and evokes treasured memories for their parents and grandparents. The property?s association with Disney is the icing on the cake," said SMC SVP Licensing Lisa Streff.

In addition to The Jungle Book television series, Phase 4 will release a bonus 1-hour holiday special in 2012. SMC is also developing a strategy to roll the series out across a multitude of digital platforms. Additionally, a dedicated website for The Jungle Book is in development.

SMC acquired all North American home entertainment, licensing and merchandising rights, and promotional rights for The Jungle Book CGI-animated television series plus the one-hour telefilm from DQE, the producers and rights holders of the series. In addition, SMC has also acquired The Jungle Book toy rights for Benelux, Australia and New Zealand and licensing and merchandising rights for South Africa.

Targeting consumer products, which focus on boys in the 4-7 age group as well as parents with children from infancy to 8 years of age, SMC will be representing The Jungle Book at the 2012 International Licensing Show.

The company is seeking partnerships to develop a comprehensive consumer products? campaign across categories including Toy, ELA?s, Publishing, Games & Puzzles, Gaming/Interactive, Apparel, Footwear, Accessories, Back to School, Party Good, Food & Beverage, Arts & Crafts, Home Furnishings, and more.

MUMBAI: Disney Channel, the flagship kids channel from Walt Disney India, is strengthening its morning band by launching its globally popular adventure show Peter Pan and bringing back Jungle Cubs, the animated series based on 1967 feature film, The Jungle Book.

Peter Pan, which is set to go on-air on 25 February at 11 am, is a classic tale of adventures that await Wendy and her brothers when Peter Pan, the hero of their stories, whisks them away to the magical world of Never Land.

The series is based on 1953 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and based on the play Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn?t Grow Up by JM Barrie.

The Jungle Cubs, which is set in the youth of the popular animal characters, will make its debut on 27 February at 10.30 am on Disney Channel.

The animated series follows the adventures of six familiar-and-feisty-characters of The Jungle Book - Baloo, Bagheera, Sher Khan, Kaa, and Hathi.

Jungle Cubs will also feature the popular original songs from the movie and reprises ?The Bare Necessities?, the Academy Award-nominated song from the 1967 motion picture, as the theme of the show.

MUMBAI: Hyderabad-based DQ Entertainment (DQE), the animation, gaming, live action entertainment production and distribution company, has appointed SMC Entertainment as its rights partner in North America, Australia and South Africa.

With the appointment, SMC has acquired all North American TV, home entertainment, licensing and merchandising rights, as well as all promotional rights to the 52 x 11‘ episode CGI-animated Jungle Book television series along with a one-hour feature from DQ Entertainment International.

Said DQE Chairman and CEO Tapaas Chakravarti, "The success of our TV series The Jungle Book is validated by the quality of partners it has attracted globally. From licensing for TV broadcast to merchandising across a varied range of products, the property has met with huge success and appealed to a new generation of children across all nationalities. 

"We are delighted with the partnership with SMC for North America and South Africa and are convinced that they will do justice to this iconic brand. I am sure our beloved Jungle Book will see new highs in the hands of our new and able partners."

In addition, SMC has acquired the master toy rights for Australia and New Zealand and licensing and merchandising rights of for The Jungle Book for South Africa. The company would market the series at Kidscreen Summit and the New York Toy Fair in February 2012.

SMC Entertainment (SMC) is the recently launched entertainment and brand management division of global consumer products manufacturer Sun-Mate Corporation.