Great Wolf Resorts Launches Entertainment Division with New Animated Project (EXCLUSIVE)

Great Wolf Resorts’ new division Great Wolf Entertainment is under way on its first animated production, “The Great Wolf Pack.”

The hospitality brand has recruited a group of animation veterans to bring its familiar characters to branded entertainment properties. Chris Bailey (“Garfield: The Movie”) will direct “The Great Wolf Pack,” with Julia Pistor (“The SpongeBob Squarepants Movie,” “The Rugrats Movie”) as executive producer alongside writer Kent Redeker (“Doc McStuffins”). The production team includes Academy Award winning animation studio Six Point Harness.

More from Variety

Bringing to life the vacation brand’s stable of woodland creatures, “The Great Wolf Pack” follows Wiley Wolf, Violet Wolf, Oliver Raccoon, Sammy Squirrel and Brinley Bear, who are anointed by the Great Wolf Spirit as the Great Wolf Pack. Through a magical geyser, they transport to whimsical worlds where they put to use the power of the Pack to overcome various dilemmas. Only by joining together in friendship and combining their unique talents and flaws can they conquer the challenges that come their way.

“Millions of families interact with our characters every year at our resorts, and it seems like a natural opportunity to expand that beloved resort experience into filmed content that can be enjoyed anywhere,” senior vice president of brand experiences Brooke Patterson said. “We are excited to work alongside this talented team of artists and storytellers who we’ve entrusted to bring these characters to cinematic life.”

“The Great Wolf Pack” is targeting an early 2022 release.

“When I was approached to create a world for the Great Wolf Lodge characters to live and play, I thought back to my childhood, and felt excited to create stories that hopefully children will imagine themselves being a part of,” Redeker said.

The debut animated series is part of a slate of ten other short-form animated projects Great Wolf Entertainment has in development. Supplementing the on-screen content, it is also producing five children’s books, which will be available in print and digitally. In the meantime, Great Wolf Entertainment, also continues to oversee MagiQuest, its in-resort interactive video game.

(pictured from left: Kent Redeker, Brooke Patterson, Julia Pistor, Chris Bailey)

Best of Variety

Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.