- DreamWorks Animation, Universal Destinations and Experiences, TEG Life Like Touring and Terrapin Station Entertainment have teamed up to launch Gabby’s Dollhouse Live! in North America this fall. The 75-minute musical stage show will play its first date in Long Beach, California on September 19, before visiting 75 more cities around the country. Gabby’s Dollhouse Live!, which had its world premiere in Australia two months ago, sends Gabby on a mission to fix the rainbow by finding its colors. It’s presented by lead sponsor Walmart.
- French distributor Dandelooo has signed on as the global sales agent for Czech studio Krutart’s animated series Alma & Kory (pictured, 26 x seven minutes), which is in development and already has several European broadcasters on board. This animated slapstick series for five to sevens focuses on a young dinosaur who wakes up after millions of years and meets a young wolverine. It’s a co-production with Czech Television, JOJ (Slovakia), RTS Slo (Slovenia), RTS (Switzerland), ERR (Estonia) and Bayam (France), and Krutart is applying for European funding, looking for more broadcasters and exploring gap financing to hopefully move into production by the end of this year, says CEO and producer Martin Juza.
- Qatar’s beIN is beginning a new chapter of The Jungle Book, commissioning a 52 x 11-minute series called Adventures of Akira & Mowgli from Powerkids Entertainment. The project is in production now and should wrap by the end of the year, with DeAPlaneta Entertainment, Telegael, Twelve P Animation and Wall Peep on board as co-pro partners. Powerkids will be at Annecy looking to lock in some presales.
- WildBrain is partnering with Sanrio for a sweet Strawberry Shortcake x Hello Kitty and Friends co-branded product range. Launching in September in the US and Canada, the capsule collection will include toys, fashion and stationery from partners including Jazwares, Bioworld, Loungefly and Sonix. This builds on a previous collab between the two companies for a line of Strawberry Shortcake x My Melody products that launched in March, also with Jazwares and Bioworld on board as licensees.
- Incredible Film has signed several European distribution deals for Tummy Tom and the Lost Teddy Bear and A New Friend for Tummy Tom, a pair of animated feature films produced by Amsterdam’s Phanta Animation and BosBros. KMBO (France), Look at That (Germany), Storytelling (Norway), Angel Film (Denmark), Future Film (Finland), Lucky Dog (Sweden), Kino Mediteran (Croatia), Reverse (Spain) and Pop Cult (Italy) have acquired both films, which will launch in France in June and Germany in November.
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