Four of the world’s leading movie studios will descend on London this October to present the very hottest Hollywood properties to the European licensing industry many months before moviegoers get a glimpse of them.

Marvel, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox and Warner Brothers Consumer Products will be among more than 200 exhibitors lining up to dazzle at Brand Licensing Europe, the leading event for licensing, brand extension and consumer trends in Europe, which takes place between 1-2 October.

The studios will unveil blockbuster licensing opportunities across a wide range of genres and categories, including Ice Age 3, Avatar, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Iron Man 2, Wolverine, Spectacular Spider-Man, Super Hero Squad, Thor, Captain America, New Avengers, Scooby-Doo, Batman, Harry Potter and Tom and Jerry.

Exclusive sizzles, trailers, teasers and film footage will be screened at Brand Licensing Europe’s Screening Suite: Where Films Become Brands: a purpose-built cinema housed in the Pillar Room at Olympia’s Grand Hall. The Screening Suite was launched to wide acclaim in 2006 and doubled in size by organiser Advanstar Communications the following year to accommodate more guests.

“We are delighted to be returning to Brand Licensing in 2008. Over a very short period of time we have noticed an impressive increase in the attendance of retail buyers and European visitors to the show. This coupled with the bespoke screening suite facilities positions Brand Licensing Europe as an important, must attend event in our licensing calendar,” David Binnie, general manager, Warner Bros. Consumer Products UK.

“Brand Licensing Europe is a key event for Fox Licensing & Merchandising Europe. At this year’s show we will be presenting our strong slate of upcoming feature films, in particular, Ice Age 3 for summer 2009, Avatar for December 2009 and Fantastic Mr. Fox also in December 2009. In addition, we will be presenting new plans for our successful, on-going television properties such as the ‘living classic’ that is The Simpsons, Family Guy, 24 and Prison Break,” commented Carl Lumbard, SVP & MD Fox Licensing & Merchandising Europe & Latin America.

Teresa Osgood, a buyer at Primark, was one of those retailers attending Brand Licensing in 2007: “The Screening Suite was very well organised. It’s great to be able to preview the films we are going to back for the season and understand how high profile they will be as well as get a feel for other licenses coming through.”