Kartoon Studios’ Premiere of Shaq’s Garage, Starring Shaquille O’Neal, Outperforms During June Exclusive on Pluto TV

Series Delivers More Video On Demand Viewers Than All of Kartoon Channel!’s Other Series Combined

Increased Weekly Kartoon Channel! Viewers by 50% and Captured All Three Most Viewed Episode Spots

Series Debuts Today Across All Kartoon Channel! Platforms, Including Amazon Prime Video, Roku, Apple, Google, Android & More

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., July 10, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kartoon Studios, (NYSE American: TOON) announced today the broad debut of “Shaq’s Garage,” starring and executive produced by the legendary Shaquille O’Neal, across Kartoon Channel! platforms, following its successful exclusive premiere on Pluto TV throughout June.

Shaq’s Garage premiered the first 13 episodes of season one exclusively on Pluto TV, delivering more VOD viewers than all of Kartoon Channel!’s other titles combined, while increasing Kartoon Channel!’s weekly audience by over 50%. Additionally, the series captured the top 3 most viewed episode slots on Kartoon Channel! over the last 90 days.

Beginning today, Shaq’s Garage” is now available to Kartoon Channel! audiences across ALL major platforms, including Amazon Prime Video, Roku and The Roku Channel, Apple, Google, Android, Amazon Fire , LG, Samsung, Kartoonchannel.com, and more.

Todd Steinman, President of Toon Media Networks stated: “The launch of ‘Shaq’s Garage’ on Pluto TV’s Kartoon Channel! has more than met our expectations. The series has found an audience and the response has been amazing. We have a solid foundation in place to expand the series across all the Kartoon Channel! platforms and into international markets. We are extremely grateful to Shaq and Rob Gronkowski for working with us to create a series that has resonated so well with kids and families, and provides positive role models and messaging.”

About Shaq’s Garage
“Shaq’s Garage” is a new animated series for kids, starring 4-time NBA champion, rap impresario, and global icon, Shaquille O’Neal, as both himself and one of the show’s main vehicle characters, named Biggie D!

Inspired by Shaq’s real-life love of cars, “Shaq’s Garage” is a modern-day action series where Shaq brings his “family” of cars, known as the Shaq Paq, to life.

The series is a mix of action, adventure, and comedy featuring the Shaq Paq as they are sent by Shaq on various missions to help others and do good in their hometown community of Orlanta and beyond! The Shaq Paq is a lovable, funny and diverse cast of ten different characters, with Shaquille O’Neal as the Shaq Paq leader and the voice of giant truck, Biggie D, along with his buddy, the Gronk Mobile, voiced by NFL Superbowl champion, Rob Gronkowski. Every show has a lesson in it for kids, and Shaq appears in an animated wrap at the end to share the message.

About Kartoon Channel!
Available everywhere and anywhere kids are today, Kartoon Studios’ Kartoon Channel! is a family entertainment destination that delivers 1000s of episodes of carefully curated and safe family-friendly content. The channel features original content, including Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rainbow Rangers, and Shaq’s Garage, starring Shaquille O’Neal and Rob “Gronk” Gronkowski. Kartoon Channel! also delivers animated classics for little kids, such as Peppa Pig Shorts, Super Simple Songs, Melodee’s, Finny the Shark, Strawberry Shortcake, as well as content for bigger kids, such as Angry Birds and Yu-Gi-Oh! Kartoon Channel! also offers STEM-based content through its Kartoon Classroom, including Baby Genius and more.

Kartoon Channel! is available across multiple platforms, including iOS, Android Mobile, Web, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku and The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, Comcast, Cox, Dish, Sling TV, Android TV, Tubi, Xumo, Samsung and LG Smart TVs.

Internationally, Kartoon Channel! is currently available in key territories around the world, including India (Samsung and Jio via Powerkids Entertainment), Africa and Sub-Sahara Africa (StarTimes), Australia and New Zealand (Samsung TV Plus), Germany (Waipu), Philippines (Tapp Digital) and Maldives (Dhiraagu). Kartoon Channel! Branded blocks are also currently available daily in 69 countries across the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America and Europe.

About Kartoon Studios
Kartoon Studios (NYSE AMERICAN: TOON) is a global end-to-end creator, producer, distributor, marketer, and licensor of entertainment brands. The Company’s IP portfolio includes original animated content, including the Stan Lee brand, Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, on Kartoon Channel!; Shaq’s Garage, starring Shaquille O’Neal,on Kartoon Channel!, and a broad distribution platform,  Rainbow Rangers on Kartoon Channel! and Netflix; the Netflix Original, Llama Llama, starring Jennifer Garner, and more.

In 2022, Kartoon Studios acquired Canada’s WOW! Unlimited Media and made a strategic investment becoming the largest shareholder in Germany’s Your Family Entertainment AG (FRA:RTV), one of Europe’s leading distributors and broadcasters of high-quality programs for children and families.

The company’s wholly-owned digital distribution network, Toon Media Group, consists of Kartoon Channel!, Kartoon Channel! Worldwide, Frederator Network, and Ameba. Kartoon Channel! is a globally distributed entertainment platform with full penetration of the U.S. television market and international expansion underway with launches in key markets around the world, including Germany, India, Australia, New Zealand, Africa & Sub-Sahara Africa and more. Kartoon Channel! and Ameba are available across multiple platforms, including Apple iOS, Apple TV,  Android Mobile, Android TVWeb, Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Fire, Roku, Pluto TV, Comcast, Cox, Dish, Sling TV,  Tubi, Xumo, Samsung and LG Smart TVs, and YouTube. Frederator Network owns and operates the largest global animation network on YouTube, with channels featuring over 2000 exclusive creators and influencers, garnering on average over a billion views every month.

For additional information, please visit www.kartoonstudios.com

Forward Looking Statements: Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Words such as "may," "might," "will," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "continue," "predict," "forecast," "project," "plan," "intend" or similar expressions, or statements regarding intent, belief, or current expectations, are forward-looking statements. While the Company believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on any such forward-looking statements, which are based on information available to us on the date of this release. These forward looking statements are based upon current estimates and assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, our ability to generate revenue or achieve profitability; our ability to obtain additional financing on acceptable terms, if at all; the potential issuance of a significant number of shares, which will dilute our equity holders; fluctuations in the results of our operations from period to period; general economic and financial conditions; our ability to anticipate changes in popular culture, media and movies, fashion and technology; competitive pressure from other distributors of content and within the retail market; our reliance on and relationships with third-party production and animation studios; our ability to market and advertise our products; our reliance on third-parties to promote our products; our ability to keep pace with technological advances; our ability to protect our intellectual property and those other risk factors set forth in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and in the Company’s subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Thus, actual results could be materially different. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

MEDIA CONTACT:
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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cc1f2c03-b672-49d4-9910-ec0a96e9e08e