PARIS: Saban International Paris, headed by Jacqueline Tordjman and Vincent Chalvon-Demersay, will firmly establish itself as one of the leading European animation studios if the takeover of Jean Chalopin’s production and distribution company Créativité & Développement g’es ahead as planned. Negotiations are still under way.

While continuing its search for European co-production partners, Saban maintains its philosophy of working with well-known European characters with international appeal. The latest series to be added to its lineup is the Italian comic strip Diabolik for development into an animated strip.

The series will be added to the studio’s slate of programs, which already includes: Princesse Sissi; Achille Talon, based on a French comic book character (the show’s English name is Walter Melon); Iznogoud, set for debut on France 2 this summer; Oliver Twist; and two shows, Jim Button and The Night of Wishes, adapted from books of Michael Ende.