Hamsta World lands its own animated series with AMGI Animation Studios

Hamsta World, the Happy Ink owned property based on the lives of a cast of hamsters, has landed its own animated series, thanks to a new partnership with the LA-based AMGI Animation Studios.

AMGI will develop, produce, and distribute the animated series, making it available for video streaming services across the globe.

The project will be headed up by Colin Brady, a renowned animation powerhouse and a former lead animator, animation director with credits hat include blockbusters such as toy Story, Toy Story 2, and A Bug’s Life.

“The entire AMGI Animation team is rolling up our sleeves to work on Da Hamstas. As a parent myself, I have years of personal experience observing the natural playfulness and joy that a character brand like Hamsta World can bring to kids. We’re having a lot of fun exploring premises, music and 3D environments for the Hamsta characters,” said Brady. 

Saskia Keiser, Hamsta creator and CEO of Happy Ink, added: “I am beyond excited to be working with this outstanding team known for its top-notch animation and spearheaded by Colin Brady.

“Partnering with Animagic, I just know my funny Hamstas are in the safe hands of a remarkably talented and experienced group of people. We are absolutely thrilled to enter a 3D Hamsta world that will make our fans around the globe feel right at home.”

Happy Ink continues to push its Hamsta World brand across social media platforms around the world. Adding video streaming and an original series to the mix is a fantastic and exciting new step.

Animagic has started working on adapting the eight different Hamstas to 3D and is drafting stories in close collaboration with Hamsta creator Saskia Keiser. 

Happy Ink’s director of licensing in the US and Canada, Brad Bushell, concluded: “The proliferation of video streaming services has created a huge demand for original video entertainment, especially for children’s animation.

“So, market conditions make this the right time for Hamsta to partner with Animagic to produce fun stories presented through world class animation. It’s a perfect partnership at a perfect time.”

European children’s specialist Chicco picks up Bing for pre-school capsule collection

Acamar Films’ hit pre-school IP, Bing is embarking on a new European jaunt, thanks to a partnership with the children’s products specialist, Chicco.

Maurizio Distefano Licensing closed the licensing agreement for the Italian market this year, in a deal that will now see Bing become the inspiration for a capsule collection for pre-schoolers for spring/summer 2020.

‘It’s a brand-new line, but one that brings together all of Chicco’s established strengths – understanding of fabrics and how to ensure maximum comfort for the little ones – with graphics that reflect the charm and fun of Bing,’ read a description of the line.

As well as the daily broadcast on leading Italian free-to-air kids’ channel Rai Yoyo of 15 episodes a day, Bing can also be seen on Sky Italia channel DeA Junior.

The Italian licensing effort has been launched off the back of not only the series’ broadcast success in the region. Bing also has his own themed area as one of the best-loved children’s characters at Leolandia, Italy’s most popular theme park, where visitors can meet Bing and his friend Flop in person.

Bing is also a growing presence on Italian social networks, with more than 70,000 Likes on the Bing Facebook page, and more than 415,000 subscribers on the Bing YouTube channel, which gets 1,000,000 views every 24 hours!

Mr Magoo makes his move on the US market thanks to DreamWorks deal for Xilam

Mr Magoo is making his move on the US market, thanks to a new deal struck between the award-winning French animation studio Xilam Animation and DreamWorks Animation’s Classic Media.

Under the deal, DreamWorks has exclusively picked up all US TV, home video, and VOD rights to season one of the new animated series. It will be available from today on CBS All Access streaming service.

Marc du Pontavice at Xilam Animation, said: “Since debuting in fall 2018, Mr Magoo has drawn strong ratings and captured the hearts of kids and their families around the world. The original version of Mr Magoo was first created in the US so we’re delighted DreamWorks has now come on board to introduce local audiences to our fresh take on this wonderfully candid and optimistic character, back where it all began 70 years ago.”

Originally commissioned by France Télévisions,Mr Magoo currently airs on Turner’s Boomerang channel in France, Africa, the Middle East, Israel, Turkey and Nordics, Cartoon Network (Asia), Discovery Kids (Latin America), Super RTL (Germany), VRT and RTBF (Belgium), SIC K (Portugal), RTVE (Spain), RTS (Switzerland), CITV (UK), Discovery and DEA Kids (Italy), among other channels.

This latest deal expands Xilam’s US footprint which includes its recently announced Netflix commission for the CGI animated preschool series Oggy Oggybased on the company’s hit global franchise Oggy and the Cockroaches.

Netflix also acquired worldwide rights to the studio’s critically acclaimed first adult animated feature I Lost My Body, which launched on November 29 and received the International Critics’ Week Grand Prize at Cannes Film Festival, Cristal for a Feature Film and Audience Award at Annecy and Grand Prize at the Animation is Film Festival last year.

I Lost My Body has also just been nominated in the Animated Feature Film category for the Academy Awards 2020. Additionally, Xilam is in production on Disney+ original Chip ‘n’ Dale, which will feature the return of Disney’s much-loved chipmunk troublemakers in a non-verbal, classic style comedy.