GNUS Genius Brands International Inc

Genius Brands International (“Genius Brands”) (NASDAQ: GNUS) today announced a new AI-generated animated “shorts” series based on the original children’s show, Warren Buffett’s Secret Millionaires Club, launching on Kartoon Channel!, YouTube and Genius Brands’ social media channels on May 15, 2023.

The shorts will be produced by Genius AI Studio, utilizing various AI tools and pulling from stories co-created with, and voiced by, Warren Buffett for the original Secret Millionaires Club series, which focused on teaching enduring life lessons around financial literacy to children. Aimed at children aged 4-12 and their families, Secret Millionaires Club Minis combine cutting-edge technology, creative storytelling, and short-form vertical video, bringing a whole new format to the children’s entertainment space. Each video will educate children worldwide, and feature fun and interesting lessons and facts around business and money. Shorts will start rolling out May 15.

Genius Brands is excited to bring this timeless series to market, using cutting-edge AI technology to reimagine the original into a snackable 1-minute format and a style we will be seeing much more of in the future. AI provides a significant cost-cutting opportunity in production, as well as content expansion initiatives to fuel the Genius Networks programming pipeline. AI is the next big thing in children’s entertainment and with its innovative use, Secret Millionaires Club Minis will be a hit with kids and parents alike around the world!

Secret Millionaires Club Minis follows up the recently announced Kidaverse Fast Facts, Genius Networks’ debut into AI produced content, launching this month. Kidaverse Fast Facts will include new and exclusive shorts hosted by History Henry, Science Sally and Sporty Steve, and like Secret Millionaires Club Minis, each video will educate children worldwide, featuring fun and interesting lessons and facts about science, history, music, literature, and more.   

About Kartoon Channel!Available everywhere and anywhere kids are today, Genius Brands’ Kartoon Channel! is a family entertainment destination that delivers 1000s of episodes of carefully curated and safe family-friendly content. The channel features animated classics for little kids, including The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss, Babar, Mellodees, Super Simple Songs, and Finny the Shark, as well as hit content for bigger kids, such as Angry Birds and Yu-Gi-Oh!, to original programming like Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, KC! Pop Quiz, hosted by Casey Simpson, and Shaq’s Garage, starring Shaquille O’Neal and Rob “Gronk” Gronkowski, coming in 2023. 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, Comcast, Cox, Dish, Sling TV, Android TV, Tubi, Xumo, Samsung and LG Smart TVs.

For more information, please visit www.kartoonchannel.com

About Genius Brands International Genius Brands International, Inc. (Nasdaq: GNUS) is a leading global kids media company developing, producing, marketing and licensing branded children’s entertainment properties and consumer products for media and retail distribution. The Company’s IP portfolio of family-friendly content features the Stan Lee brand, Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, on Kartoon Channel!; Shaq’s Garage, starring Shaquille O’Neal, coming to Kartoon Channel!; Rainbow Rangers on Kartoon Channel! and Netflix; Llama Llama, starring Jennifer Garner, on Netflix and more. This past year, Genius Brands also acquired Canada’s WOW! Unlimited Media (TSX-V: WOW), which includes 2,500 channels under the Channel Frederator Network, and has also made a strategic investment in Germany’s Your Family Entertainment AG (FRA:RTV), one of Europe’s largest distributors and broadcasters of high-quality programs for children and families.

Genius Networks consists of Kartoon Channel!, Frederator Network and Ameba. Kartoon Channel! is a globally distributed entertainment platform with penetration in a vast majority of the U.S. television market and international expansion with launches in key markets around the world.

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, Comcast, Cox, Dish, Sling TV, Android TV, Tubi, Xumo, Samsung and LG Smart TVs. Frederator Network owns and operates the largest global animation network on YouTube, with channels that boast over 2000 exclusive creators and influencers, garnering on average over a billion views every month. Ameba is a children's video streaming service that is full of active, engaging and intelligent programming.

For additional information, please visit www.gnusbrands.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.

GENIUS BRANDS MEDIA CONTACT :pr@gnusbrands.com

GENIUS BRANDS INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT: ir@gnusbrands.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6d2f4d24-7975-4841-aaca-8b21dead1949