TORONTO — Children and family entertainment broadcaster WildBrain Television announced today it has ordered several new animation and live-action series from Canadian producers that will premiere across its suite of channels beginning this October and continuing to roll out through 2022.
The new slate of programming includes five new WildBrain-produced, computer-generated animation specials for Caillou (above), which are set to begin airing on Family Jr. in summer 2022. With each special running 45 minutes, these mark “the first new long-form content for the beloved preschool brand in almost a decade,” says a press release.
Another new show for young kids is Lucas the Spider, produced in association with Fresh TV and WexWorks Media. WildBrain has ordered 26 CG-animated episodes (22 minutes each), which will premiere on Family Jr. in fall 2021. Based on the popular YouTube shorts, this new series features “a happy, inquisitive, impossibly cute jumping spider” whose passions “are to spread love, live in the now and explore his world — and that’s exactly what he does, with the help of his group of best friends,” the release says.
Another YouTube hit, Denis and Me, had four new specials greenlit in addition to WildBrain’s order for season two of the series earlier this year. These new 11-minute 2D-animated specials are produced in partnership with Headspinner Productions and will begin airing on Family Channel in fall 2021 alongside season two.
A fourth new animated series announced is Summer Memories, produced by Aircraft Pictures, A&N Productions and Yeti Farm Creative, which “chronicles the sweet, funny friendship of Jason and Ronnie as Jason looks back on the most pivotal summer of his life.” Comprised of 20 22-minute 2D-animated episodes, the series will debut on Family Channel in summer 2022.
On the live-action side, WildBrain has ordered two new family series. The first, Ruby & the Well produced in partnership with Shaftesbury, “explores the wonder that follows a girl’s discovery of a mystical source of wishes,” says the release. Ten 44-minute episodes are set to launch on Family Channel in winter 2022.
The second new live-action series, Take Note, follows “the fictional roller-coaster life of a talented musical teenager competing in a Hollywood reality show.” Produced in partnership with Lambur Productions, the 10 22-minute episodes will premiere on Family Channel in winter 2022.
Finally, WildBrain has greenlit season three of the award-winning tween series Holly Hobbie, produced by Aircraft Pictures in association with Cloudco Entertainment and WexWorks Media. Consisting of 10 22-minute episodes, season three will roll out on Family Channel beginning fall 2021.
These new greenlights are in addition to other Canadian series announced earlier this year, including 26 new episodes of Malory Towers (produced by WildBrain and King Bert Productions in association with CBBC), and the new preschool series The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy (26 11-minute episodes produced by Lopii Productions).
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Image provided by WildBrain Television.
