Studiocanal Drives Into Kids IP, Premium Shows, Launching ‘Adventures of Paddington,’ ’How to Squoosh,’ ’Scarlet Rose’ (EXCLUSIVE)
13.10.2023 - 10:37
/ variety.com
Studiocanal, owned by Vivendi’s Canal+ Group, is powering into the kids IP and premium series business, marking its most significant expansive strategic move since initiating premium TV production. This supercharged kids TV drive looks set to play out in multiple ways at this year’s MipJunior trade fair, which unspools at Cannes over Oct.
13-15. In one milestone move, on Oct.
6 top exec Françoise Guyonnet was named Studiocanal CEO Copyrights Group and EVP Kids’ Brands. Her appointment came just two days after Studiocanal unveiled a big new potential franchise, CGI animated series “Miffy.” In another strategic departure, Studiocanal, working hand in hand with parent Canal+, is also growing a sales slate of premium but smaller animation IPs – “How To Squoosh,” “Smarty Pants” are two examples – which can command an international audience.
In a third departure, again in synch with Canal+, Studiocanal has started financing kids’ series targeting early-ish teens such as “Scarlet Rose,” based on Patricia Lyfoung’s best-selling graphic novel series “La Rose Ecarlate” of female swashbuckler thrillers, and “The Baker Street Four.” Studiocanal’s big, big European IPs also take in “Paddington” duo Studiocanal and Heyday Films’ movie adaptation of the Swedish “Pippi Longstocking” children’s book series, currently under ongoing development. Announcing Guyonnet’s dual appointments, which takes effect Jan.
1, Studiocanal declared they marked “a confident move for the studio which wishes to accelerate growth in children’s IP.” Reasons abound. Well-known IP is, of course, a huge help for an animation series, said Guyonnet: “Having characters that people who look after small children are familiar with and grew up loving themselves, means
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