Two French powerhouses, APC Kids, part of leading co-production and distribution group APC Studios, and leading content creator TeamTO, have joined forces on the new action-adventure comedy series Jade Armor. The partnership will see APC Kids distribute the series worldwide, excluding the Americas and China.
WildBrain CPLG, one of the world’s leading entertainment, sport and brand licensing agencies, has secured representation rights to Mediawan Kids & Family’s new superhero adventure series, Petronix Defenders (52 x 13’), in the U.S. and Canada. Under its dedicated North America office, WildBrain CPLG will build a cross-category consumer products program aimed at kids aged 4-8 years, with target categories including publishing, apparel and role-play accessories, alongside digital gaming and commercial tie-ins.
WildBrain, a global leader in kids’ and family entertainment, has signed worldwide distribution rights (excluding Ireland) for season one of the new preschool animated series Ray of Sunshine (26×7’). Produced by Dublin-based animation studio Daily Madness, the series is currently available for delivery and will be showcased by WildBrain at Kidscreen Summit in February.
For the first time ever, Dino Ranch Live is hitting the road and will Dino-SOAR onto stages in more than 60 cities beginning March 24th. The fun-filled, family friendly and action-packed live show is based on the hit animated series seen on Disney Junior and follows the adventures of the Cassidy family and junior Ranchers Jon, Min, Miguel, their loveable dinos Blitz, Clover and Tango and the mischievous Tin Horn Trio. Dino Ranch Live kicks off in Riverside, California on March 24 before riding to Newark, Detroit, Chicago, Orlando and Long Beach among others around North America. The tour schedule, tickets and VIP packages can be found at www.dinoranchlive.com.
Independent UK animation studio 3D Sparrow Group is further expanding its hit non-dialogue preschool and family comedy property Booba with launch of the show’s fourth season, signing of new broadcast partners and a growing consumer products program. Additionally, Booba has reached a new milestone on YouTube after generating 1 billion quarterly views for the first time in Q4 2022, taking the brand to a total of 15.3 billion views to date.
CoComelon, the world’s most popular kids entertainment brand, is poised to support even more little ones in their foundational years as the franchise continues to expand. Moonbug Entertainment, a subsidiary of Candle Media, has announced significant momentum across the entire franchise, including an additional beloved character getting their own show in 2023 – Nina! The launch of Nina builds on the successful roll out of Cody Time and JJ’s Animal Time. Through these spin-offs and the strength of the original CoComelon show, the franchise continues to connect with new audiences: global YouTube subscribers grew 33% and viewership increased by nearly one third (29%) last year. Additionally, JJ and his friends reached a new milestone – more than 50 billion views on YouTube in one year – and CoComelon continued its weekly reign throughout 2022 in the Netflix Top 10 list.
Scentco Inc, a renowned U.S. toy designer and distributor, and producers of the fast growing Bedtime Defenderz plush toy line, has inked a deal with Armada Content, LLC to produce 12 episodes of new animated entertainment content to be released in the Fall of 2023 on YouTube. The new animated content will tell the stories behind the origin of the Bedtime Defenderz and their nemesis Torrag, Master of Shadows. The series follows the hugely successful introduction of the Bedtime Defenderz plush toy line in the Fall of 2022.
Kids2, a global company that designs holistic solutions to help early-stage parents and families, announced the launch of Baby Einstein Ocean Explorers, a new STEAM-focused ocean adventure edutainment series in conjunction with a comprehensive line of two dozen products for children, including toys and baby gear. Created in partnership with child development experts, Hello Einstein Studios and EDH Animation, each 5-minute episode reinforces early learning skills through repetition and interactivity as beloved Baby Einstein characters Cal, Neptune, Opus, Tinker and Dean discover undersea and seaside wonders together with young viewers.
Dan Povenmire, co-creator and executive producer of the global super-hit Phineas and Ferb, has entered into a new overall deal with Disney Branded Television which includes production of 40 all-new episodes of Phineas and Ferb, a second season renewal of the animated superhero series Hamster & Gretel and the development of live-action projects. Phineas and Ferb is a five-time Emmy Award-winner and the most successful animated series for Kids 6-11 and Tweens 9-14 in Disney Television Animation history. Since its premiere, Hamster & Gretel ties as the #1 cable series among Kids age 6-11 delivery.