'Alvin And The Chipmunks' Owner Ross Bagdasarian Eyeing To Sell Franchise For $300 Million
Who can forget the three quirky, musically gifted chipmunks who serenaded our childhoods? From television to the big screen, Alvin and the Chipmunks have been a staple in American entertainment since they first emerged into the world six decades ago.
Now - after three television shows, eight feature-length movies, and a laundry list of albums - the owner of Alvin and the Chipmunks is in talks with a bevy of networks to sell the franchise for a whopping $300 million. The multimillion-dollar franchise could find its new home in the hands of ViacomCBS, as the network is said to be quite interested.
According to CNBC, Bagdasarian Production has been shopping the popular children's franchise around with a number of intrigued buyers. Seeing as how there are a plethora of networks looking to obtain intellectual properties, it only makes sense that the company looks to rack in millions from the chipmunk-filled phenomenon. Bagdasarian Production is owned by Ross Bagdasarian Jr. and his wife Janice Karman, who operate the production company within their Barbara, California home.
ViacomCBS was mentioned as a network that showed a great deal of interest in taking up Bagdasarian Production's offer. Though, as an agreement has yet to be set in stone, it's truly anyone's game. While no word has come out regarding other potential buyers, it can be inferred that there's a line of networks willing to go through with acquiring the franchise.
Bagdasarian Jr' father created Alvin and the Chipmunks back in 1958 to accompany a novelty record. Throughout the decade, children and adults alike followed Alvin, Theodore, Simon, and all their chipmunk pals through a myriad of media as they embarked on wholesome misadventures. In June of last year, the chipmunk trio received their very own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The star was presented to Bagdasarian Jr at the ceremony, solidifying the franchise's place in entertainment infamy.
Anything attached to Alvin in the Chipmunks is a surefire way to rack in the big bucks. The franchise's first feature film made $361 million in the worldwide box office. The sequel - aptly titled Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel - did even better, pulling in $443 million! And with characters as cute as these, there's boundless opportunity to cash in on merchandise. Certainly, any network would be lucky to have Alvin and the Chipmunks in its arsenal of intellectual properties.
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Sources: CNBC, Complex, NBC Los Angeles
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