Canada’s Mercury Filmworks has acquired the rights to develop and produce a new animated children’s series based on Scott Rothman’s popular children’s picture book Attack of the Underwear Dragon (October 2020, Random House), an Amazon Editor’s Pick and National Indie Bestseller, illustrated by New York Times’ Best-Selling illustrator and Annie Award-nominated animator, Pete Oswald.
9 Story Brands and Retail Monster Ltd. are pleased to announce the expansion of the global licensing program for their new animated series Karma’s World from Karma’s World Entertainment and 9 Story Media Group. New partners in the UK include KIDdesigns (Consumer Electronics), Poetic Brands (Apparel, Outerwear and Swim), Cooneen by Design (Nightwear and Underwear), Roy Lowe & Sons Ltd. (Hosiery) and Egmont (Magazines, Colouring and Activity Books). The new UK partners join a growing list of licensees for Karma’s World which include Mattel (global toy), Scholastic (global publishing) and Universal Music Group (global music), as well as Isaac Morris Limited, Hybrid Apparel, Franco Manufacturing Co., Crayola and many others in North America which were announced in fall of 2021.
Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street and local adaptations around the world, is unveiling a new Muppet character named Ameera as part of its work to support children and families affected by crisis and displacement. Ameera will premiere next week on Ahlan Simsim (“Welcome Sesame” in Arabic), the local version of Sesame Street in the Middle East and North Africa. Ameera will also star in innovative, globally tested videos designed to quickly deliver playful learning to children affected by conflict and crisis.
Award-winning content creation, distribution and licensing studio One Animation has secured a new wave of VOD and linear international sales across its portfolio of hit series, which includes the short-form, long-form and seasonal specials of Oddbods, as well as Insectibles (52×11’), Rob the Robot (104×11’) and Antiks (80×2’).
Leading French Animation studio TeamTO and UK Licensing Agency This is Iris have been working together on a number of licensing collaborations for popular international kids animated comedy, Mighty Mike (78 x 7).
Sesame Workshop announced it will be expanding its animation slate with book-based properties, starting with the classic Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White . Partnering with WarnerMedia Kids & Family, Sesame Workshop will begin production in April on the recently greenlit family miniseries, which will be available on HBO Max and Cartoon Network in 2024.
Following the recent announcement of the first international launch of Kartoon Channel! in the Middle East, North Africa and across Latin America, Genius Brands International, Inc. (NASDAQ: GNUS) has announced the further expansion of the Kartoon Channel! brand in the Asia Pacific region with the launch of the channel on Samsung TV Plus in Australia starting March 23.
Fred Rogers Productions, the award-winning children’s educational media organization behind Emmy-winning PBS KIDS series, including Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, has partnered with Warner Music Group’s Arts Music division to release the music from Donkey Hodie, the hit preschool series on PBS KIDS. The series is inspired by the funny, quirky side of children’s television pioneer Fred Rogers and showcases reimagined music and characters from the beloved Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Series music director, Grammy, Emmy, and Tony Award-winning composer Bill Sherman (In the Heights, Hamilton, Sesame Street), produced the album.
Netflix and Dr. Seuss Enterprises have announced they will bring some of the most iconic and beloved stories and characters of Dr. Seuss to life with five new animated preschool series and specials. The projects are inspired by treasured stories like Horton Hears a Who!, The Sneetches, One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, and Wacky Wednesday, in addition to lovable characters like Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose. Executive Producer Dustin Ferrer (Esme & Roy, Shimmer & Shine, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood) will serve as showrunner across all five, and additional showrunners will be revealed in the coming weeks. The announcement expands the partnership between Netflix and Dr. Seuss Enterprises even further, following the launch of the critically acclaimed animated series Green Eggs and Ham in 2019, which will have its anticipated second season premiere April 8, 2022.