"The interest was comparable with 'Lord of the Rings,' which is partly because we've shown we can deliver successful films based on published works," said David Imhoff, New Line exec VP for worldwide licensing and merchandising. "Sega had a quality presentation and also has the ability to make this a global initiative, which is critical to us."
Mini-major is expected to unveil several other major licensing deals for "Materials" in the next few weeks, including a master toy license and numerous promotional partners.
Sega, which used to be a dominant hardware and game maker along with Sony and Nintendo, has recently scaled back to a midsize game publisher. Thanks to a merger two years ago with arcade company Sammy, company has a new infusion of cash and is looking to spend on top properties in hopes of again becoming a top publisher.
"If Sega is going to rise to that top tier, we need to have licensed properties blended into our portfolio," said Sega of America marketing VP Scott Steinberg. "It won't be easy or cheap, but you've got to go big or go home, and we believe this has the potential to be a breakout hit." Steinberg said Sega expects to make several other high-profile Hollywood licensing deals in the next year.
SEGA is already at work on the "Golden Compass" game and plans to release it on multiple consoles along with the pic next November.