After the success of rereleasing ‘The Lion King’ in 3D (Disney has decided to do the same with several of its other biggest hits. We can’t wait to see “Beauty and the Beast,” “Monsters Inc.,” “Finding Nemo,” and “The Little Mermaid” in this format although we wonder if they’ll do as well as “The Lion King,” which garnered $80 million in U.S. ticket sales from its recent return! But given how nostalgic Millennials are, we bet these 3D flicks will become Blockbusters too. Speaking of 3D, Nintendo and DreamWorks Animation teamed up to deliver shorts on the Nintendo 3DS video platform. Halloween-themed segments from “Shrek” and “Monsters vs Aliens” will be available on the device, along with lots of additional 3D content) (Deadline Hollywood) (The Hollywood Reporter)
The nature of YA books is changing (as teen novels become even more complex and creative, taking on sophisticated storylines that male and female readers of all ages can enjoy. Dark themes and fantasy are at the core of this market, but there’s certainly an audience for them as trends change from witches to vampires to werewolves) (Publishers Weekly)
Kids are downloading more digital content than ever before (with half of children purchasing such media by the age of seven! Kids between 2-14 years old download music the most, followed by movies, video games, TV shows, books, and apps respectively. This is good news for digital companies, but maybe not for parents’ wallets. Speaking of digital downloads, Disney’s new mobile gaming app “Swampy” is taking mobile devices by storm, becoming the top paid for app for iPhones and iPads. This is the first time Disney has introduced a character in a game before a movie or TV show, but judging by the game’s instant success, we think Swampy will be on the big screen soon enough) (All Things Digital) (Reuters)
Nickelodeon’s nostalgia block — ’The 90s Are All That’ — is moving to primetime (as Millennials want more of the beloved shows they grew up with and don’t always want to stay up late to watch them. Starting this Friday, the programming will begin at 10pm, which is bound to make the already popular block even more successful. Grab your cowboy boots and get ready for the return of “Hey Dude,” a Western comedy about teens on a dude ranch, which will also join the block this week) (Entertainment Weekly)
Comparing TV show buzz isn’t as easy as it used to be with a variety of platforms measuring attention and engagement, particularly on social media. Ad Age takes a look at how shows stack up when comparing Nielsen ratings to check-in site GetGlue and buzz measurer Trendrr.tv. The lists are all a little different, but there are reasons for that…)
As part of Bullying Prevention Month (Mattel’s Monster High franchise teamed up with the Kind Campaign, a movement that aims to end bullying through kindness. Monster High created a special webisode with the Kind Campaign founders to teach girls about the power of being nice. Check out the webisode here. See, even monsters are against bullying! We’re “Totally Amp’d” about Shaftesbury’s first mobile app TV series of that title. Besides watching the show via the app, users can create their own songs from the series, design outfits and other artwork, and even direct their own music video) (NY Times) (Kidscreen)
Meet Lily, Sesame Street’s newest Muppet who will teach kids about world hunger (in a special episode titled “Growing Hope Against Hunger” airing this Sunday. As access to food is uncertain for 17 million U.S. kids, the show’s creators wanted to introduce a character who represents this challenge and highlight the issue to instigate change. The episode, sponsored by Walmart, will show how communities can create gardens and hold food drives to help those in need) (DailyMail)