Simple Modern Announces Collaboration with Universal Products & Experiences Oklahoma-based company to create drinkware and other products inspired by Illumination’s “Despicable Me,” “Jurassic World,” DreamWorks Animation’s “Gabby’s Dollhouse” and more – just in time for kids to head back to school in the fall. Simple Modern, a leading producer of premium drinkware and consumer products, is pleased to announce a new collaboration with Universal Products & Experiences, which includes products inspired by five different hit franchises including– Illumination’s “Despicable Me,” Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment’s “Jurassic World, DreamWorks Animation’s “Trolls” and “Gabby’s Dollhouse” as well as “Curious George.” The new line will include stainless steel 14-ounce, 18-ounce and 32-ounce water bottles, as well as a “Minions”-themed backpack and lunchbox. “We are incredibly excited to work with Universal Products & Experiences to bring such popular franchises to our customers through some really fun, new products,” said Corbin Wallace, Simple Modern Chief Growth Officer. “We know our customers love these characters and stories so, they are all a natural fit to be part of the Simple Modern family of products.” All five unique product lines are now available on simplemodern.com and through Simple Modern’s Amazon store, with Simple Modern launching additional “Trolls”-inspired products later this fall. The new Universal Products & Experiences licensing partnership is the latest of Simple Modern agreements to bring co-branded products to consumers to drive value for both partners and customers. In 2024 alone, Simple Modern has announced more than a half dozen new partners, with more to be announced in the coming weeks. This joins more than 100 colleges and universities, the NFL, NHL, NBA and MLB as well as other international brands as partners with Simple Modern. About the JURASSIC WORLD Franchise From Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment, Jurassic World immerses audiences of all ages in a new era of wonder and thrills where dinosaurs and humankind must learn to coexist. Jurassic World is more than a film franchise. At every turn, this $6 billion film series delivers a larger-than-life destination for exploration, discovery, and epic adventure. Dinosaurs live again and they live in Jurassic World. About Illumination’s Despicable Me 4 In the first Despicable Me movie in seven years, Gru, the world’s favorite supervillain-turned-Anti-Villain League-agent, returns for an exciting, bold new era of Minions mayhem in Illumination’s Despicable Me 4. Following the 2022 summer blockbuster phenomenon of Illumination’s Minions: The Rise of Gru, which earned almost $1 billion worldwide, the biggest global animated franchise in history now begins a new chapter as Gru (Oscar® nominee Steve Carrell) and Lucy (Oscar® nominee Kristen Wiig) and their girls —Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier) and Agnes (Madison Polan)—welcome a new member to the Gru family, Gru Jr., who is intent on tormenting his dad. Gru faces a new nemesis in Maxime Le Mal (Emmy winner Will Ferrell) and his femme fatale girlfriend Valentina (Emmy nominee Sofia Vergara), and the family is forced to go on the run. The film features fresh new characters voiced by Joey King (Bullet Train), Emmy winner Stephen Colbert (The Late Show with Stephen Colbert) and Chloe Fineman (Saturday Night Live). Pierre Coffin returns as the iconic voice of the Minions and Oscar® nominee Steve Coogan returns as Silas Ramsbottom. Packed with non-stop action and filled with Illumination’s signature subversive humor, Despicable Me 4 is directed by a co-creator of the Minions, Oscar® nominee Chris Renaud (Despicable Me, The Secret Life of Pets), and is produced by Illumination’s visionary founder and CEO Chris Meledandri and by Brett Hoffman (executive producer, The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Minions: The Rise of Gru). The film is co-directed by Patrick Delage (animation director Sing 2 and The Secret Life of Pets 2), and the screenplay is by the Emmy winning creator of White Lotus, Mike White, and the veteran writer of every Despicable Me film, Ken Daurio. About DreamWorks Animation’s GABBY’S DOLLHOUSE Since the debut of DreamWorks Animation’s hit series Gabby’s Dollhouse, kids around the world have been having one big sprinkle party with Gabby and her friends. Created by celebrated storytellers Traci Paige Johnson and Jennifer Twomey and now streaming on Netflix, Gabby's Dollhouse is a mixed media preschool series that unboxes a surprise before jumping into a fantastical animated world full of adorable cat characters that live inside Gabby’s dollhouse. Rooted in growth mindset, Gabby’s activity-based episodes encourage flexible thinking and learning from your mistakes. The show has charted as a top 10 kids’ TV series in 57 countries on Netflix and has become a top 3 preschool brand in the US, inspiring an award-winning toy line, publishing, home, apparel, and more, as well as original music, a top-rated app and a growing YouTube channel visited by millions of fans weekly. Gabby’s Dollhouse continues to expand through Universal Destinations & Experiences theme parks, global fan experiences, live events and much more, including Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie heading to theaters September 26, 2025. Any adventure can unfold when we play in Gabby's Dollhouse! About DreamWorks Animation’s TROLLS franchise Trolls is one of the most beloved global entertainment brands of today. With award-winning music, heartwarming humor and stories and characters that champion friendship and kindness, the franchise includes feature films-- 2016’s Trolls, 2020’s Trolls World Tour and 2023’s Trolls Band Together starring Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake and a dynamic cast of actors and musical artists — as well as original TV and digital content, videos games and more. Vibrant and groundbreaking in its design, Trolls has inspired live-entertainment touring shows, Universal Destinations & Resorts attractions across the globe—as well as high-fashion collaborations, toys, lifestyle collections and more. About CURIOUS GEORGE For more than 80 years, Curious George has been a timeless classic beloved by audiences all around the world. Encouraging children to explore the world with wonder and intrigue, Curious George, published by HarperCollins, has sold more than 80 million books, is available in 13 languages on YouTube. The TV series, available on Peacock, PBS and Hulu, is a two-time Daytime Emmy® Award winner for Outstanding Children’s Animated Program. Creatively positioning curiosity as a building block for learning, Curious George has also inspired Universal Studios Parks’ attractions across the globe, live-entertainment touring shows and interactive experiences, as well as toys, games, apparel, lifestyle collections and more. About UNIVERSAL PRODUCTS & EXPERIENCES Universal Products & Experiences (UP&E) globally drives the expansion and elevation of NBCUniversal’s iconic collection of brands, intellectual properties, characters, and stories based on the company’s extensive portfolio of properties created by Universal Pictures, Illumination, DreamWorks Animation and NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. The division executes this through innovative physical and digital products, as well as engaging retail and product experiences across our expansive global theme park destinations (for both owned and third-party IP), location-based venues, e-commerce product platforms, and retailers around the world. Along with global brand strategy and creative, UP&E’s lines of business include Consumer Products and Games, along with Theme Parks Products & Retail. UP&E is a division of Universal Destinations & Experiences, part of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation. More information is available at universalproductsexperiences.com.