Cartoon Saloon’s “Silly Sundays” and “Puffin Rock – The Movie” presented for first time at BLE

Five-time Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA and Emmy Award-nominated Irish animation studio, Cartoon Saloon, will attend Brand Licensing Expo (BLE) for their second time to present licensing and merchandising opportunities for two new preschool properties: the recently announced animated preschool series Silly Sundays and their new feature film Puffin Rock – The Movie. Also being presented is Cartoon Saloon’s Irish Folklore Trilogy, featuring WolfWalkersThe Secret of Kells and Song of the Sea.

Brian Tyrrell, Cartoon Saloon’s General Manager, Licensing & Merchandise, says: “This is going to be an exciting BLE for Cartoon Saloon. In the preschool space, we’re presenting for the first time our newest animated series, Silly Sundays, for which we’ve already had many discussions and seen huge interest since we announced our deal with WarnerMedia Kids & Family for the series to air on the new Cartoonito preschool block on HBO Max and Cartoon Network, along with RTE in Ireland. We’re also proud to debut Puffin Rock – The Movie, based on the award-winning hit series, which will debut in 2022.

“BLE will also provide us with the opportunity to speak to potential partners about Cartoon Saloon’s Irish Folklore Trilogy. With the completion of WolfWalkers, with its Academy Award, Golden Globe and BAFTA nomination among its more than 100 awards nominations and 45 award wins to date, and also Academy Award nominees Song of the Sea and The Secret of Kells, we’re delighted to work with potential licensing partners to create merchandise for fans geared toward the movie trilogy that offers further engagement across the brands.”

Silly Sundays is an animated comedy series following cousins Sonia, Hugo and Mel on fun, unexpected adventures at their family get-togethers. Created by Oscar-nominated producer Nuria González Blanco (Late Afternoon)Silly Sundays will debut in 2023 on Cartoonito in the U.S.,  LATAM and EMEA, as well as with RTE in Ireland.

Co-produced with long-time partner Dog Ears and Chinese partner CNB, Puffin Rock – The Movie, based on the Emmy Award-nominated preschool TV Series Puffin Rock (78×7), will debut in the summer/autumn of 2022. The movie sees the heroic Oona work with her new friend Ursula to save their island, and a precious little egg, in an action-packed story which celebrates the puffins’ magnificent natural environment. The popular series enjoys international success, having received an International Emmy Award nomination, two Kidscreen Awards and a Royal Television Award, and has been a huge hit with preschool audiences. Puffin Rock screens globally on Netflix and on Tencent in China where it has been streamed over 170 million times, and on linear TV around the globe.

Cartoon Saloon will be seeking licensing partners for all properties across Toys, Apparel, Games/Puzzles, Crafts, Publishing, Accessories and more.

Magic, fantasy and Celtic mythology come to life in Cartoon Saloon’s celebrated Irish Folklore Trilogy, featuring three Academy Award-nominated modern animated classics.

Early deals for the trilogy include a 4-Disc Blu-ray box set to be made available December 14 in North America with GKIDS and Shout! Factory and in the UK/Ireland with Studio Canal. This deluxe set features animatics and bonus features for the three films never released before in North America and is presented in environmentally friendly packaging that reflects each film’s loving depiction of the natural world.

Cartoon Saloon will be developing a consumer products program for the Trilogy across multiple key categories, including Apparel, Games, Publishing, and Accessories, with an anticipated retail debut in 2022.

About WolfWalkers: Set in Kilkenny, Ireland, in the mid-17th century, Wolfwalkers tells the story of Robyn Goodfellow, a young apprentice hunter who comes to Ireland with her father to wipe out the last pack of wolves. Her life changes after she saves a native girl, Mebh, leading to her discovery of the Wolfwalkers and her transformation into the very thing her father is tasked to destroy. WolfWalkers is co-produced with Luxembourg’s Melusine Productions in association with Shenzhen based V & P Media and has won over 45 major awards together with Academy Award, Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations. Wolfwalkers is available nearly worldwide on Apple TV+.

About The Secret of Kells: The Secret of Kells is a  bewitching animated fairy-tale for children and adults alike that is a spirited retelling of the provenance of Ireland’s most cherished artefact, the Book of Kells, combining stunning artwork influenced by Irish medieval illustrations. It was Cartoon Saloon’s first feature film and was nominated for an Academy Award in 2010. The film was a co-production with Vivi Film (Belgium) and Les Armateurs (France).

About Song of the Sea: Song of the Sea takes inspiration from the mythological Selkies of Irish folklore, who live as seals in the sea but become humans on land. Song of the Sea was a co-production with Cartoon Saloon, Melusine Productions (Luxembourg), The Big Farm (Belgium), Nørlum (Denmark) and Superprod (France).

Also in production from Cartoon Saloon and for release in 2022 exclusively for Netflix is My Father’s Dragon, a major animated feature production based on the 1948 Ruth Styles Gannet best-selling book with script by Meg LeFauve.