Former Netflix and Nickelodeon exec Alexi Wheeler (pictured) has teamed up with France’s Superprod Group to launch Wheel in Motion, a new London-based studio that will develop animated and live-action series and movies for kids & family viewers. 

Wheeler (Supa Team 4, Robin Robin) has been consulting since late last year, when he left Netflix EMEA after five years as head of animated series. As an indie, he has been working with Irish studio Treehouse Republic on developing Captain Carrie and the Monster Ship (which will be presented at Cartoon Forum this year) and digital-first preschool series Hugo Monkeys Mix-ups. 

Before joining Netflix in 2018, Wheeler worked at Nickelodeon EMEA for eight years, most recently as a VP of animation production and development. He has also been a producer at Entertainment One and a development executive at Rubber Duck Entertainment (Peppa Pig).  

According to co-founders Clement Calvet and Jeremie Fajner, Superprod was looking to establish a presence in the UK, and Wheeler’s deep expertise in kids & family content was a good fit. The company seems to be in expansion mode lately, having acquired Luxembourg-based Studio 352/Melusine Productions (Kensuke’s Kingdom) just three months to more easily finance and produce animated films and series. Superprod already has development and production studios in France (Superprod Animation), Italy (Red Monk Studios) and the US (The Co-Production Company).