Moose Toys has entered into an entertainment development deal with creative studio and writing collective Man of Action Entertainment (MOA). Under the agreement, MOA, which has proven success showrunning hit series like Ben Ten, Sonic Prime, Marvel’s Avengers Assemble and Ultimate Spider-Man, will create an animated series for the toymaker’s original brand Heroes of Goo Jit Zu.
The new relationship represents Moose Toys’ commitment to expanding its story-led brands across multi-platform entertainment and elevating strategic IP into true franchises, says the studio.
Introduced in 2019, Heroes of Goo Jit Zu delivers the squishiest, stretchiest, goo-filled action heroes who will always fight to save the day. The line’s popularity with kids spurred the development of an equally popular YouTube series, with 12 episodes amassing more than 335 million views. The new animated series represents a major next step for the brand.
One of Moose Toys’ most successful homegrown brands, Heroes of Goo Jit Zu encompasses a core cast of heroes and villains as well as fun new characters on either side of good and evil. The entire roster is equipped with superpowers that lend themselves to action-packed adventures. Designed to capture kids’ imaginations, the characters’ out-of-this-world creature features are further exaggerated by the gooey action figure line’s ability to stretch up to three times their size and ‘shape shift’ back to their original form.
“Expanding Heroes of Goo Jit Zu’s storytelling across digital, linear and streaming platforms is a testament to our belief in the brand’s enduring appeal and its ability to translate beyond the toy aisle. Man of Action will be our hand-in-hand partner delivering next level creativity, bringing the world of Heroes of Goo Jit Zu to life in fun and unexpected ways,” said Yvette Sittrop, VP Franchise Development, Moose Toys. “Their proven success in creating long running animated storytelling that’s both loved as great entertainment and also highly merchandisable aligns with our guiding goal of being the world’s most innovative toy company.”
Beyond the upcoming series, Moose has plans for further extensions for the brand including gaming, publishing and apparel, among others.
“Heroes of Goo Jit Zu is a natural fit with the Man Of Action experience and expertise. Our conversations with Moose made it clear that they are forward-thinking and willing to go anywhere the story needs to in order to grow the franchise in exciting directions,” said Steven T. Seagle, founding partner, Man of Action. Added fellow co-founder Duncan Rouleau, “There’s a real wealth of characters and concepts that are ripe for an expanded world mythology and a series of stories full of action, adventure and humor. It’s not a question of if we’ll have any good ideas, but which of those ideas to run with.”
