Mediatoon Attracts Buyers With Focus on Family, Diversity, Acceptance

Ed Meza
·3 min read

Mediatoon Distribution has seen a slew of sales for a number of new and upcoming animated series, including a new adaptation of a beloved property.

The company unveiled three new titles at the Unifrance Rendez-Vous TV market in Biarritz this week, two of which have already found early buyers.

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“Nicholas’ Fantastic Summer” follows the mischievous adventures of a boy and his friends as they get the most out of their summer beach holiday. Switzerland’s RTS, MTVA in Hungary and Poland’s TV Puls have already acquired the show, an adaptation of the bestselling books by late writer René Goscinny and cartoonist Jean-Jacques Sempé (who died Aug. 11). It was produced by Media Valley (“Zoom the White Dolphin”) for M6/Gulli, Warner Bros. Discovery’s Boing; and Belgian broadcasters RTBF and VRT.

The company has also pre-sold Season 2 of preschool show “The Fox Badger Family” to Tele Quebec in Canada and RTS in Switzerland. Produced by Mediatoon studio Ellipse Animation and commissioned by France Televisions and German pubcaster WDR, it’s the story of a badger father of twin boys and a baby daughter who one day meets a fox mother and her daughter. Together they become “The Fox Badger Family.”

Also on offer is “Living With Dad,” a toon sitcom about an unconventional family revolving around a single dad, his four very different daughters, and their unpredictable daily life.

Commissioned by M6/Gulli and RTBF and likewise produced by Ellipse Animation, the show is based on a popular, widely translated comic book series. Mediatoon is pre-selling the title, which it will officially launch at the upcoming Mipcom TV market in Cannes.

Fanny Gilabert, Mediatoon Distribution’s sales and business affairs manager, points out that there “is a distinct focus on family, diversity and acceptance amongst our new releases. Through the means of animation, we aim to provide a reflection of every child’s reality to some degree so that they feel understood, represented and of course entertained.”

Tele Quebec, RTS and MTVA have also pre-bought the 3D animated “SamSam,” one of a number of projects Mediatoon has in production. Targeted at young kids, the series follows the adventures of a 6-year-old superhero who lives on another planet. Folivari and Bayard produced it for France Televisions.

“The Marsupilamis”
“The Marsupilamis”

RTS and Tele Quebec also pre-bought “The Marsupilamis,” based on the comic book characters created by André Franquin, about three small creatures known as Marsupilamis that hatch in the big city and find a home with two sisters and their grandmother.

Ellipse Animation and fellow Mediatoon studio Belvision are producing “The Marsupilamis” for M6/Gulli.

Also in production is “Versailles Unleashed – Belfort and Lupin,” an original IP from Ellipse Animation and commissioned by France Televisions about the adventures of royal hound Belfort – King Louis XIV’s favorite dog – and his pal Lupin and their adventures in the Palace of Versailles.

Mediatoon’s other projects currently in development include “Dreamland,” an adaptation of a French manga produced by Ellipse Animation and La Chouette, and “Trotro & Zaza,” a new series featuring an adorable little donkey, likewise produced by Ellipse Animation.

Mediatoon Distribution will pitch both series at Cartoon Forum in Toulouse later this month.

Mediatoon’s catalog consists of more than 4,000 hours of entertainment, including such diverse and high-profile titles as “Tintin,” “Garfield,” “Naruto,” “Code Lyoko” and “Valerian & Laureline.” The company is part of the Media Participations group, which comprises animation studios and digital media holdings as well as leading comic, novel and graphic publishers, including Dargaud, Urban Comics, Kana, Dupuis, Le Seuil, Abrams and La Martinière.

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