NELVANA AND TOIKIDO OFFICIALLY GREENLIGHT 2D ANIMATED CHILDREN’S SERIES PIÑATA SMASHLINGS™ BASED ON THE HIT ROBLOX GAMING IP

Piñata Smashlings™ Shorts from Nelvana and Toikido are Available Now on YouTube

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For Immediate Release 

TORONTO, January 11, 2024 – Nelvana, a world-leading international producer, distributor, and licensor of children’s animated and live action content, and Toikido, an innovative London based entertainment company specializing in digital design and toys, announce the highly anticipated greenlight of Piñata Smashlings™, a new 2D animated children’s series (26×11). The series is available for international sale and already has confirmed placement with YTV in Canada. This comedic adventure, tailored for kids age six to nine, complements previously unveiled Piñata Smashlings™ shorts currently streaming on Nelvana’s ‘Keep It Weird’ YouTube channel, with more shorts to launch soon.

Inspired by the immensely popular Roblox game, with a staggering ‘like’ rating of over 97 percent, the series will showcase characters from the game, each possessing unique personalities.

In Piñata Smashlings™ we meet four friends who have been thrown together by fate to form a team of very, very unlikely heroes. Whether questing across the land unlocking maps or collecting fruities and power ups, these Smashlings are out to save the Piñataverse from the evil Bashlings and level up on fun along the way. Packed with over-the-top Roblox shenanigans, fast-paced comedy, and hilarious hijinks, every episode is a burst of excitement.

“Piñata Smashlings™ is such a unique brand and we’re excited to kickstart production on the TV series, diving deeper into the Piñataverse” said Mellany Welsh, VP of Nelvana Enterprises & Kids Can Press. “With multiple touchpoints through the successful Roblox game, toy and merchandise line, brand partnerships and animated shorts, the new series will broaden the fan experience and add a new way for kids to discover and engage with the brand worldwide.”

“We are incredibly proud to announce the greenlight of the Piñata Smashlings™ full animated series in collaboration with Nelvana,” said Darran Garnham, CEO of Toikido Ltd. “This marks a significant milestone for us at Toikido, as we embark on an exciting journey to bring our vibrant world and beloved characters to screens worldwide. Partnering with Nelvana has been a fantastic experience, and we’re thrilled to see Piñata Smashlings™ expand its reach globally, captivating audiences across different platforms and mediums. This series launch is a testament to our commitment to delivering top-tier entertainment and engaging experiences to children everywhere. We can’t wait to share the ongoing magic of Piñata Smashlings™ with the world!”

Currently available for purchase nationwide in-store and online at Walmart in the U.S., Canada, U.K., and Australia, fans can explore the Piñata Smashlings™ toy range comprising collectible figures, plush toys, and playsets. The collectible plush has earned recognition as one of Walmart’s “Top Toys” for Holiday 2023. Moreover, the brand’s achievements include significant collaborations, such as an immersive Chuck E. Cheese in-game and in-store experience and the creation of the official mascot, Albärt, for Euro 2024 in collaboration with UEFA. Albärt will be integrated into the Piñata Smashlings™ Roblox game, alongside an exclusive Euro 2024 experience launching in May.

For broadcast opportunities, e-mail info@nelvana.com.

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About Nelvana
Entertaining kids for over 50 years, Nelvana is a world-leading international producer and distributor of children’s animated and live-action content. Nelvana produces a stable of award-winning and globally renowned brands that focus on comedies, preschool and action series, and ancillary consumer products programs. Nelvana’s content airs on Corus Entertainment’s kids channels in Canada and in over 180 countries around the world. The Nelvana library has well over 5,000 episodes of programming and has received over 70 major international program awards including Emmys® and Canadian Screen Awards. Visit the Nelvana website at nelvana.com.

About Corus Entertainment Inc. 
Corus Entertainment Inc. (TSX: CJR.B) is a leading media and content company that develops and delivers high quality brands and content across platforms for audiences around the world. Engaging audiences since 1999, the company’s portfolio of multimedia offerings encompass 33 specialty television services, 39 radio stations, 15 conventional television stations, digital and streaming platforms, and technology and media services. Corus is an internationally-renowned content creator and distributor through Nelvana, a world class animation studio expert in all formats and Corus Studios, a globally recognized producer of hit scripted and unscripted content. The company also owns full-service social digital agency so.da, lifestyle entertainment company Kin Canada, and children’s book publishing house, Kids Can Press. Corus’ roster of premium brands includes Global Television, W Network, HGTV Canada, Food Network Canada, Magnolia Network Canada, The HISTORY® Channel, Showcase, Adult Swim, National Geographic, Disney Channel Canada, YTV, Global News, Globalnews.ca, Q107, Country 105, and CFOX, along with streaming platforms STACKTV, TELETOON+, the Global TV App and Curiouscast. Corus is the domestic advertising representative and an original content partner for Pluto TV, a Paramount Company, which is the leading free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service. For more information visit www.corusent.com.

About Toikido
Toikido Ltd is a new KIND of entertainment company that sets itself apart. An innovative, fun, and fast-paced studio which has become renowned for growing global audiences through the creation of captivating toys for emerging digital brands. With a global reach, Toikido offers an ecosystem across licensing, gaming, music, marketing, and entertainment and is dedicated to developing its own exceptional intellectual properties (IP) across all entertainment genres. Piñata Smashlings™ is Toikido’s first internally developed IP and set to become one of the most exciting children’s brands, with the launch of a Roblox game, a range of toys, including collectables, action figures, plush and playsets, an official collectors guide and magazine, and an animated series to bring the Piñataverse to life. Toikido was founded by serial entrepreneur Darran Garnham in 2020.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Brittany Bell, Associate Publicist
Corus Entertainment416.479.3384
brittany.bell@corusent.com

Stacey Grimshaw, Senior Publicity Manager
Corus Entertainment
416.479.6082
stacey.grimshaw@corusent.com

John Bowen, Account Director
Make More Noise on behalf of Toikido Ltd
jbowen@makemorenoise.co.uk
07538 445 030