KISS Catalog, Name, Logo, Makeup Rights Sold in 9-Figure Deal

Author Erica Banas // Rock Music Reporter

April 4th 10:47 AM

The KISS catalog, name, logo and makeup rights have been sold in a massive nine-figure deal.

The legendary band (and brand) sold their assets to Pophouse, a Swedish entertainment and music investment firm they’ve already partnered with in the creation of the KISS Avatars.

While Pophouse didn’t disclose the financial terms of this blockbuster deal, Fortune reports the deal is worth $300 million.

Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley on the Sale of the KISS Catalog

In a statement, Gene Simmons said of the catalog and intellectual property deal, “We have always been breaking new ground in popular culture, and this partnership will ensure that we continue to do so for years to come … The future could not be more exciting!”

Simmons noted that future includes the KISS Avatars, a biopic and what he called “a KISS themed experience.”

Paul Stanely added, “Our journey with Pophouse is fueled by the desire to eternally resonate across diverse facets of global culture … This partnership is not just a chapter; it’s an eternal symphony of rock ‘n’ roll immortality.”

What’s Next for the KISS Avatars?

According to Billboard, the KISS avatar show is targeting 2027 for its premiere. The KISS avatars were unveiled as the “new era” of the iconic band following their final show ever.

Per KISS’ official website, “The KISS avatars were created by visual effects company Industrial Light & Magic using their advanced performance-capture technology, gathering every nuance of KISS band members’ face and body performance in exact detail.”

Industrial Light & Magic was founded by George Lucas in 1975. Since its founding, the visual effects company has over 500 film and TV credits. Among them are the many Star Wars properties and the various titles within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Pophouse, of course, is part of this “new era” and will helm the making of the KISS avatar show. The Swedish group is responsible for ABBA Voyage, the acclaimed digital concert honoring the iconic pop group.

Considering the technology, the KISS avatars have the potential to seemingly do anything. Keep scrolling to see some of our ideas on how we’d like to see the KISS avatars utilized in the future.

KISS Avatars: 5 Ways We'd Like to See the 'New Era' Utilized

• A Stint at the Las Vegas Sphere (Obviously!)

  Clearly, a concert experience will happen with the KISS avatars. Having them debut at the Las Vegas Sphere just makes sense. After all, the KISS World Museum is located in Vegas. Plus, the videos that have been released from U2’s residency at the Sphere are just mindblowing.

  I can't live with or without you... #U2UVSPHERE pic.twitter.com/5dXBO1G8Tu

  — U2 (@U2) November 20, 2023

• Personalized concerts

  In a promotional video from Pophouse that featured Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, it was revealed that AI technology would be utilized with the KISS avatars that would allow the avatars to react to some stimuli. The example given was someone in the crowd at the digital concert yelling “I love you” would lead to the Stanley avatar to yell “I love you” back. So, why not give people the option to commission a personalized concert? Sure, that would have a hefty price tag, but clearly, anything is possible here.

  Today, A New Era Begins. #KISSARMY, the end is only the beginning!
  
  KISS have been immortalized and reborn as avatars to rock forever. #KISSNEWERA
  
  WATCH NOW https://t.co/Khudwx7cud pic.twitter.com/2jz7OOmKTj

  — KISS (@kiss) December 3, 2023

• A new KISS video game

  The technology used to create the KISS avatars is incredible. You know what wasn’t incredible? The 2000 video game KISS: Psycho Circus: The Nightmare Child. It was a first-person shooter based on Todd McFarlane’s KISS: Psycho Circus comic book series. As you can tell from the clip below, the video game hasn’t aged well, so a new one would be a great opportunity.

• A KISS/Star Wars crossover

  Sure, this one seems like a long shot, but considering the George Lucus connection with Industrial Light & Magic, it wouldn’t be completely unheard of. It’s not like it would be worse than the 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special!

• An epic remake of 'KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park'

  Okay, if the Star Wars crossover is a long shot, then a remake of KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park is probably unthinkable. However, the silliness of this idea was one we couldn’t resist. Paul Stanley said of the film in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, “I embrace it like an ugly child … We were sold the idea of the film in a sentence that was virtually, ‘A Hard Day’s Night meets Star Wars.’ Well, it was far from either.”

  Clearly, the time is now to right this wrong!

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Author Erica Banas // Rock Music Reporter

Category:

• Music
• WCSX

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KISS