Market Moves
Toonz
Preschool brand Zoonicorn (pictured) is galloping into a worldwide licensing deal with United Smile. Under the deal brokered by Toonz’s licensing agent bRAND-WARD, the UK-based manufacturer will develop a global range of products—including plush, figurines and playsets—for release in spring 2024. The Zoonicorn CG-animated series (52 x seven minutes), about magical creatures that live in animals’ dreams, launched last summer on platforms including Peacock and Kidoodle.TV (US), Astro (Malaysia) and Truecorp (Thailand).
Future Today
The AVOD operator has picked up Atlantyca Entertainment’s animated series Berry Bees (52 x 12 minutes) and season two of Bat Pat (52 x 12 minutes) for its kids and family platform HappyKids. MondoTV Producciones Canarias produces Bat Pat, a two-season series for five- to nine-year-olds about friends who cross paths with supernatural creatures. Berry Bees, also for kids ages five to nine, stars young secret agents who take on missions to protect the world. HappyKids will broadcast both shows in the US and Canada, as well as Bat Pat in the UK.
Epic Story MediaChina’s Tencent Video and Unicorn Entertainment have teamed up with the Canadian prodco to launch CG-animated preschool series Bubble’s Hotel, which is set in a magical resort where any dream can be fulfilled with the flick of a magic wand. Narae Ha (Rainbow Ruby) created this 52 x 11-minute show, with Nancy Lees (Slugterra) writing the scripts. Tencent will premiere Bubble’s Hotel this summer, and Epic Story is tasked with securing broadcast and licensing partners outside of China. The three companies will also work on setting up a toy range for the IP.