Asmodee Entertainment’s Alexander Thieme and Ness Jack on why a cookbook made perfect sense for CATAN

Posted on 26th September 2023 By Billy Langsworthy

Guys, it’s always great to chat. How’s this past year been for Asmodee Entertainment?
Alexander Thieme: It’s been great – we’ve had lots of exciting launches. There’s been merchandise from Fanattik and the CATAN cookbook is out now. The cookbook got a lot of attention from press in the US, which is always a good sign! We’re always looking forward in this job but it’s nice to take stock and look at how these cool deals have come to fruition.

Ness Jack: It’s been a real evolution for the team since Asmodee Entertainment launched four years ago. I was there at the beginning when we were focused mainly on Aconyte books… Now we have a raft of products out there across lots of different categories – jigsaws, puzzle books, statues, collectables. It’s a pleasure to see all these ranges out there.

I can’t remember which of you said this – and I assume it’s a positive term! – but you’ve described yourselves as a ‘two-headed monster’. How do you work together?
AT: Well, Ness onboarded me – she was one of the earliest members of the team. We had three weeks in the office together before the pandemic and then lockdown hit. We got on really well in those weeks, so we decided to create a virtual office during the pandemic. Every morning we’d have a virtual meeting… Sometimes we wanted to feel like we were back in the office, so we’d be in that meeting just working and not even talking to each other!

NJ: I learnt a lot of licensing terminology just by listening to Alexander witter away to himself in those meetings.

AT: Ha! It’s true! I’d also bounce ideas off of Ness and involve her in my deals. Ness always had a huge strength in organisation but that’s when she got a taste for licensing I think! I knew she had a talent for it too! I was ill for a bit last year and Ness jumped in perfectly. She loved it and so we made her officially a fully-fledged licensing manager.

NJ: I love this industry. Everyone is always so excited about what they’re working on – even the problems are exciting! And as Alexander says, I’m more of an organised person and he’s more of a creative thinker, so we work well together. We have great fun every day.

AT: Absolutely. Our strengths and weakness complement each other wonderfully. Ness can finish my sentences!

Let’s dive into Asmodee Entertainment’s exciting licensing slate. You have a Werewolves of Miller’s Hollow film in the works at Netflix. Why did this board game suit a movie?
NJ: We’ve got to give our colleague Etienne Bonnin and the team credit for this; it’s really exciting. Werewolves of Miller’s Hollow is a phenomenon in France in particular; the game has an incredible following there. Videos of the game being played gets millions and millions of views. The IP itself has everything you’d want in a mystery movie. It’s ripe for storytelling.

AT: It’s going to be along the lines of a Jumanji – action, tension, mystery, adventure and a lot of fun. It’s what you experience in the game.