As the beloved character celebrates its 40th anniversary, Rainbow Brite is preparing for a comeback through a collaborative effort between Crayola Studios and Hallmark. The partnership aims to “bring Rainbow Brite’s themes to a new audience of kids while still retaining the brand’s values and elements” while “empowering and inspiring its next generation of fans to make the world a more caring, colorful and hopeful place,” per License Global.
The ambitious revival brings together industry powerhouses, with Neal H. Moritz and Toby Ascher, the creative forces behind blockbuster franchises like Fast & Furious and Sonic the Hedgehog, spearheading the theatrical production. Meanwhile, CAKE Entertainment has taken the helm of the television series development, promising to infuse the property with “contemporary appeal.”
Videos by PopCulture.com
For those unfamiliar with the original property, Rainbow Brite first emerged from Hallmark Cards in 1984. The animated series chronicled the adventures of “a young girl named Wisp who is transported into a dull and desolate land and must bring color to the fictional world.”
“After she locates the Color Belt and rescues the Color Kids from the King of Shadows, Wisp is renamed Rainbow Brite as she embarks on her vibrant adventure,” according to Variety. The franchise’s initial success led to a theatrical release, Rainbow Brite and the Star Stealer, distributed by Warner Bros. in 1985. A brief revival occurred in 2014 with a three-part miniseries on Hallmark‘s streaming platform, Feeln.
The new television adaptation promises to transport viewers to an enchanted realm while emphasizing timeless themes. According to the official series description, “Rainbow Brite, a friend, hero, role model and creative inspiration who brings all the colors of the rainbow to the universe, is transported to a dark and gloomy place with a mission to bring color, light and happiness to the world.” The reimagined series will emphasize “themes of friendship, teamwork and the power of color and optimism to overcome darkness and negativity,” via License Global.
Victoria Lozano, executive vice president of Crayola, expressed enthusiasm about the project’s scope: “Working alongside Hallmark, Original Film and CAKE, our large-scale plans for Rainbow Brite across film, TV and beyond demonstrates Crayola Studios’ broad ambitions. The reimagining of this iconic brand through the Crayola lens of color and creativity is aligned with our mission to develop joyful and inspiring family entertainment content that helps develop lifelong creative mindsets.”
The collaboration leverages Crayola Studio’s expertise in “creating content that explores the limitless possibilities of children’s creativity by leveraging color as an intrinsic element of the story” combined with “Hallmark’s strength as a leading producer of feel-good family entertainment content.”
Sabrina Wiewe, executive vice president and chief culture and strategy officer at Hallmark, highlighted the timing of this renaissance: “In this milestone year for Rainbow Brite, we are thrilled to be working with Crayola Studios, CAKE and Original Film on this vivid reimagining of the beloved brand. It has proved its appeal over the past 40 years, and we can’t wait to strengthen connections with loyal fans and introduce a new generation to the dazzling world of color and imagination,” per License Global.
Producer Neal H. Moritz shared his enthusiasm for the project, stating, “We’re so excited to partner with Crayola Studios and Hallmark on Rainbow Brite and can’t wait to bring an exciting new franchise to audiences worldwide.”
CAKE’s CEO Ed Galton expressed similar sentiment about the collaboration: “We’re thrilled to once again collaborate with Crayola Studios and Hallmark, to breathe new life into Rainbow Brite. The opportunity to reimagine such a beloved and iconic brand is incredibly exciting, and we can’t wait to bring its color, magic, and optimism to a new generation of fans around the world.”
The revival extends beyond screen adaptations, as Crayola Properties will oversee licensing and merchandising for the reimagined franchise. According to License Global, the negotiations with Original Film and CAKE were led by Crayola Studios in partnership with “leading brand builder and children’s entertainment executive Rick Glankler from Goatfish.”
