German broadcaster ZDF has greenlit French studio Cottonwood Media’s live-action series Theodosia for a second season.
Filming on the new 26 x 30-minute season (which brings the show to 52 x 30 -minute episodes) will start in January 2023 and take place in Belgium, Paris and Morocco. Theodosia, which targets tweens, is about a young girl who uses magic to identify ancient artifacts and curses. In season two, which is titled Theodosia and the Oasis of Magic, she’ll travel to the Nile River and uncover an Egyptian mystery.
In a release, Nicole Keeb, head of international co-productions and acquisitions, children and youth for ZDF, said the show’s blend of Egyptian and English cultures, and its mix of adventure and suspense were “breathtaking” and that the series will delve deeper into both moving forward.
It’s a mix that has been appealing to buyers on a global scale. The first season, which premiered in March 2022, has sold to multiple broadcasters, including BBC, Quebecor (Canada), OSN (MENA), NPO (Netherlands), Dreamia (Portugal) and France Télévisions. It was originally co-commissioned by ZDF, Brazil’s Globo and HBO Max in 2021 and aired first on HBO Max in the US.
Leila Smith (Find Me in Paris) and Joe Williams (Young Dracula) are executive producers, and Cottonwood’s David Michel, Cécile Lauritano and Zoé Carrera Allaix are its producers.
ZDF Studios and Cottonwood Media’s Federation Kids & Family distribute the show internationally. The series is based on Robin LaFevers’ book series of the same name, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.