WildBrain Ltd. has partnered with NBCUniversal’s streaming platform, Peacock, to produce 52 new 11-minute episodes of the beloved animated series, Caillou. In addition, Peacock will become the home for five previously announced 44-minute Caillou family specials, currently in production.
“We’re delighted to join with Peacock to expand the Caillou universe. This is yet another example of how we’re reinvigorating treasured brands from our evergreen library. For over 25 years, preschoolers have connected with Caillou because they can see themselves in these highly relatable stories. Caillou is a kid just like them, facing everyday problems and learning about the world around him. With a new look and stories where Caillou explores the world through wonderful flights of imagination, Caillou is better than ever. We’re confident that today’s kids—and their families—are going to love it,” said WildBrain president Josh Scherba.
“We are overjoyed to work with the team at WildBrain for a new CG-animated version of the beloved Caillou series that won over the hearts of young audiences from around the world. Peacock is committed to enriching the minds of a new generation to promote emotional expression, creative thinking and dreaming big. We can’t wait for parents and their kids to see these pivotal themes come to life in Caillou and in all of Peacock’s kids’ offerings,” said NBCUniversal television and streaming kids content VP Kristofer Updike.
The new Caillou series continues to explore the daily life of an imaginative and curious four-year-old boy, who—like most preschoolers—is learning and growing a little more each day and doesn’t usually get things right on the first try, despite his best efforts. Through the support and encouragement of his parents, friends and neighbours—as well as through marvelous adventures in his very active imagination—Caillou reaches new understandings and discoveries as he learns to never give up and keep pursuing his goals until he succeeds.
The five new Caillou specials provide perfect occasions for preschool-friendly event viewing throughout the year: Christmas, Halloween, Celebration of Family, Summer Vacation and even tackling the important topic of bullying. Each story will push further into the rich imaginative potential of Caillou’s inner world than ever before. By telling bigger stories, we get a better understanding of Caillou’s struggles and victories, with the ultimate satisfaction of knowing things are always wrapped up in a happy ending.
Adored by preschool kids aged two-five, WildBrain’s Caillou is one of the world’s most popular animated kids’ shows, having been viewed in over 140 countries worldwide. Originally created in Canada in 1997 and based on a series of bestselling children’s books inspired by the work of French child psychiatrist Dr. Françoise Dolto, Caillou is rooted in fostering healthy childhood development, imagination, curiosity and emotional growth.
The existing Caillou content library of 234 classic 2D episodes and five digital-first seasons remains enormously popular on streaming and broadcast platforms worldwide. On WildBrain’s own premium AVOD network on YouTube, WildBrain Spark, Caillou is the number-one property, having garnered more than 73 billion minutes of watch time in 21 languages. WildBrain manages global distribution rights for all Caillou content.
