Award-winning French studio Xilam Animation has signed a trio of deals with free-to-air German broadcast partner, Super RTL. The channel has picked up rights to new upcoming animated series Mr Magoo (78×7’) and Moka (78×7’), as well as the third season of slapstick comedy Zig & Sharko (78×7’).
The studio’s hilarious new 2D animation series, Mr Magoo is based on the classic cartoon of the same name. Commissioned by France Télévisions, Cartoon Network Asia and K2 in Italy, the fresh take on Mr Magoo targets kids aged six-10 years and follows the eponymous disaster-prone character who first appeared on screens to delight young audiences nearly 70 years ago. The series is currently in production and will be delivered by spring 2019.
Commenting on signing the deal, Xilam Animation global sales development EVP Morgann Favennec said, “We’re delighted to be strengthening our long-standing relationship with Super RTL and building upon the fantastic success we’ve experienced together so far. The Super RTL team’s enthusiasm and expertise, coupled with their impressive reach, makes them an ideal broadcast partner and we’re confident audiences in Germany will thoroughly enjoy this new wave of Xilam content.”
Moka, the eagerly anticipated comedy project that was pitched at last year’s Cartoon Forum, will also join Super RTL’s line-up. The series is slated for fall 2019 release and centres on a young crocodile prince and his brave rhino sidekick, Cherry, who is constantly trying to save him from trouble.
The popularity of Xilam’s Zig & Sharko continues to accelerate worldwide, particularly in Germany where ratings are especially strong besides France where the animation ranked as the #2 top-rated show among kids four-14 years in Q1 2018. Super RTL currently airs the first two seasons of the hit animation. This latest instalment in the comedic chronicles of a hungry hyena’s schemes to take a bite out of a mermaid protected by a tough-as-nails shark is in production, with the first two episodes set to be unveiled at MIPJunior 2018.
Super RTL CEO Claude Schmit added, “The entire team is looking forward to this raft of new content from our long-term partner Xilam. We can’t wait to introduce the new shows to our young audiences across our various platforms!”
