10 Minutes With ... Warner Bros. Discovery on ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’

Before the release of the film, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” License Global spoke with Preston Kevin Lewis, head, consumer products and retail strategy, Americas, Warner Bros. Discovery, to learn more about Warner Bros. Discovery retail strategy for the launch of the film and its product collections and the collaborations with its retail partners.  

License Global: When and how did your search for “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” licensing and retail partners begin, and how quickly did programs emerge?

Preston Kevin Lewis: Our search for licensees and retail partners for “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” started early 2023, driven by the excitement and anticipation surrounding the new film. We focused on identifying partners who could truly capture the unique essence of the IP and connect with its diverse fanbase. We have a number of established partners that we knew would be a great fit but also prioritized potential licensees who we thought were well-suited for this film. With any big tentpole film, this initial phase involved a lot of research, meetings and discussions with our theatrical colleagues and the creative team behind the film to ensure we partnered with the right collaborators who shared our vision for the brand. Programs quickly began to take shape, and we saw a ton of interest which reflects how strong the enthusiasm has been not only for the new film but also the franchise at large.

Related:How Warner Bros. Discovery and Fever Brought ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice: The Afterlife’ Experience to Life

"Beetlejuice" figurine

Roughly, how many licensees have been secured to date, and what retail channels (bricks and mortar, e-commerce) are involved?

We have over 450 global licensees and retailers for “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” (the film) and Beetlejuice (core).  Around 100 of them are for North America alone, with retail placement across all channels of distribution. Key North America retail collaborations include Target and Walmart, an Amazon “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” storefront, Saks Fifth Ave. in-store merchandise, a digital campaign and an immersive window display at the NYC flagship, top fashion partners like Hot Topic and Forever 21, the latter of which recently launched a collection dedicated to Beetlejuice (both film and core) with over 40 SKUs, along with our key costume retailers, including Spirit Halloween and Party City.

"Beetlejuice" tee

Are there other licensing opportunities still being explored?

Most of the “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” merchandise hit the shelves early/mid-August to align with our typical pre-film premiere timeline. However, the excitement and push certainly doesn’t stop there – Halloween and the holiday season are just around the corner, and Beetlejuice is a perfect fit for both. Our costume retailers like Spirit Halloween, Rubies and Party City are expected to see a surge in sales over the next couple of months, with Beetlejuice costumes already flying off the shelves and poised to be a crowd favorite this season. An IP like Beetlejuice naturally lends itself to inspired-by apparel – fashionable pieces that fans can wear daily.  We observed that these trends are incredibly popular, and our inspired-by collections have been top sellers at retailers like Hot Topic and Target.

There are licensing deals in place across many different categories. What are some of the more unusual deals that have come about?

We offer products across every category and for all age groups – infants, toddlers, kids, teens, tweens and adults. Given that “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” has multi-generational appeal, we needed to make sure there’s something for everyone, including our furry friends, too.

Will “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” have a presence at Brand Licensing Europe?

We’ll be hot off the heels of the theatrical release, so the buzz and excitement for “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” will very much still be alive at Brand Licensing Europe, especially as we head towards Halloween season.  

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