Jordanian prodco Rubicon Group Holding and Turner Broadcasting have forged a partnership covering a wide array of development, production, broadcasting and merchandising initiatives.

Headlining the deal is an agreement to broadcast Rubicon’s new 3-D animated comedy Ben & Izzy and preschool property Tareq wa Shireen on Cartoon Network in the Middle East and North Africa beginning in October, with additional regions to follow. Rubicon and Cartoon Network will also join forces on the development of regional merchandising programs to coincide with the launch of the animated series.

The agreement includes the development and co-production of new episodes of Ben & Izzy that are set in Africa. In addition, Rubicon and Turner will explore co-production opportunities to create content based on IP in the Cartoon Network and Rubicon libraries, as well as IPs acquired by Rubicon from third parties, for broadcast on regional and international Cartoon Network channels.

Rubicon will also collaborate with Cartoon Network to seek out and develop opportunities in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) for all of their children’s properties.

Ben & Izzy, airing in English and Arabic, follows the adventures of two adolescent boys, Ben (an American) and Isam or Izzy (a Jordanian), who are persuaded by the desert genie Yasmine to travel through time and space on a journey to save history and its ancient treasures..

Aimed at children ages three to eight, Tareq Wa Shireen is the first 2-D animated series in Arabic conceived with a nod to Arabic heritage, history, culture and music.