TV

Discovery Channel

US kidsnet Discovery Family Channel has snagged French prodco Millimages animated series Pirata & Capitano. Co-produced by public broadcasters France Télévisions and Italy’s Rai, the 52 x 11-minute preschool series will make its US premiere June 16.

The CGI-animated show revolves around the adventures of Pirata, a ship’s captain, and her best friend Capitano, who flies in a seaplane, as they journey across the ocean in search of treasure. A second season (52 x 11 minutes) is in production and its delivery is set for Q1 2020.

Pirata & Capitano currently airs on France 5 and Tiji (France), Rai Yoyo (Italy), Channel 5’s preschool block Milkshake (UK), SVT (Sweden), among a number of other channels globally.

Entertainment One

Entertainment One (eOne) is powering up a fourth season of its animated preschool series PJ Masks. A new batch of 52 x 11-minute episodes are slated to be delivered on April 2020. Produced by eOne and French prodco Frog Box, in collaboration with Disney Junior, the new season continues the adventures of superheroes Catboy, Owlette and Gekko.

PJ Masks first debuted on Disney Junior in the US in 2015, and season three aired on the kidsnet in the US this past April.

Licensing

Hasbro 

Hasbro has appointed England’s Wicked Cool Toys as master toy licensee for its Micro Machines IP. A line of tiny vehicles that were originally made by California-based toyco Galoob, Micro Machines were popular in the mid-’80s, according to Wicked Cool Toys, and the new line of mini vehicles is expected to hit shelves in fall 2020.

More details about the new line will be released later this year.

King Features

New York-based licensing agency King Features Syndicate has partnered with Sweden’s Bulls Licensing to represent Bull’s popular Moomin brand (pictured) in the US and Canada.

Created in 1945 by Finnish author and artist Tove Jansson, the Moomins are a carefree family who live and adventure together in the peaceful Moominvalley. Jansson’s series of books that feature the characters have been translated in more than 50 languages.

King Features (which represents the Popeye, Betty Boop and Garfield IPs), plans to bring Moomin apparel, accessories, stationery, art and novelty items to North America in 2020, as the brand nears its 75th anniversary.

Epic Story Media

Canadian prodco BRON Creative has appointed Canada’s producer/distributor Epic Story Media as licensing and marketing agent (excluding UK and Asia) for its animated kids film series titled Bear Grylls Young Adventurer. Epic Story has begun putting together a licensing program for the four-film series and will unveil more details in the coming months.

Produced at Pinewood Studios in the UK and scheduled to be released in summer 2020, the action/adventure films chronicle the travels of the British adventurer Bear Grylls when he was a teenager. In the first film, Bear Grylls Young Adventurer: Endangered, the young survivalist goes on a global adventure as part of a secret group called Secret Ops Squad.