Sky Kids announcement marks another blow to UK children’s content creation

The decision by Sky Kids to end commissioning of original children’s content represents a significant loss to the UK’s animation and children’s media sector.

Under Lucy Murphy’s inspired leadership, Sky Kids has been a valued commissioner and supporter of original UK content, contributing to the strength of the UK’s world-class children’s production sector. The decision will come as a significant blow to the many animation creators, studios, and freelancers who have helped build Sky’s acclaimed slate.

While Animation UK welcomes Sky’s assurance that it will continue to honour existing commissions and maintain a schedule of children’s content, the shift away from original UK content towards acquired programming adds to an escalating crisis in children’s television.

This news arrives at a time of growing concern across the industry, with public service broadcasters also under pressure and independent producers struggling to find sustainable pathways for financing and distribution. The loss of a major commissioner, such as Sky Kids, reduces creative opportunities and limits the ability of UK producers to reach audiences with culturally relevant stories and characters.

This development underscores the importance of the newly launched Culture, Media and Sport Committee inquiry into Children’s TV and Video Content. We will be submitting evidence to highlight the structural challenges facing the sector and the urgent need for targeted policy interventions to support UK children’s content production.

Sky Kids has played a valuable role in backing original UK animation and children’s programming. Its decision to step away from commissioning is another signal that the children’s content sector needs urgent attention. Without intervention, we risk losing the UK’s ability to tell its own stories to its youngest citizens and to support our world class content creation sector.

Kate O’Connor, Executive Chair of Animation UK

Animation UK stands ready to work with government, regulators, and industry partners to ensure that future generations continue to enjoy high-quality, UK-made children’s programming that reflects their lives, values, and culture and to secure support for our world class animation sector.

MBC and Acamar Films launch Bing across MENA

MBC Group has signed a landmark agreement with Acamar Films, commencing the next stage of Bing’s global expansion, by launching a wide range of content, books, products, services and events, for the multi-award-winning preschool series Bing, across the Middle East and North Africa.

MBC Group, the largest and most prominent broadcaster in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), has signed a new programming and licensing & merchandising representation agreement with Acamar Films. This 360° deal will bring the multi-award-winning preschool series Bing to families across the Arabic-speaking world via MBC3 and its global streaming platform Shahid. The launch is scheduled for July 2025 and will also include US English, French, and Arabic versions.

We are delighted to premiere Bing, which continues our deep commitment to providing high-quality entertainment across traditional broadcasting and digital platforms in the MENA region for our youngest audiences. We also look forward to creating further engaging experiences, from toys and games to experiential events for families to enjoy together.

Ashraf Younis, Director of MBC3

MBC Group is globally recognised as the leading Arabic-language company, with a portfolio of channels in multiple languages and a long-standing commitment to children’s content. Its licensing division in Riyadh is now leading on Bing’s licensing and events management activities across the region, in partnership with Acamar’s London-based leadership team. This will include the production of a wide range of Arabic-language books, toys, apparel, and family-focused experiential events.

This new launch marks a significant step in Acamar’s global expansion of Bing. The beloved preschool series created by Acamar Films in partnership with Brown Bag Films, originally premiered on the BBC’s CBeebies. Since its debut, Bing has become a cherished part of the daily lives of young children across Europe, offering a powerful tool for early development and emotional resilience, through its authentic expert-led storytelling and characters.

We have such respect for all that Ashraf and the MBC team have achieved over many years, in building the best media offering for younger children and their families in the region. This is our first strategic move in the global expansion of Bing, and we’re delighted to be launching Bing across all areas of media, licensing, publishing and consumer products in the MENA region in our new partnership with MBC.

Mikael Shields, CEO of Acamar Films and Producer of Bing

The partnership was led and negotiated by Jiella Esmat, CEO of 8 Lions Entertainment, in collaboration with Brands & Rights 360, and Acamar Films. 

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CAKE secures German broadcast deal with NDR for season 3 of The Sisters

The leading kids’ entertainment specialist has announced a deal in Germany for a third season of popular animated comedy series The Sisters from Samka Productions.

Featuring 52 new episodes, the family sitcom will premiere on KiKA in November 2025 with new stories, once again, capturing the ups and downs of sibling life filled with fun, chaos and dramatic showdowns!

The Sisters is a heart-warming and hilarious look at the everyday adventures and sibling squabbles of Marie, a lovable, energetic, and wildly imaginative 7-year-old and her older sister Wendy, who at 13, is navigating the early stages of adolescence and eager to grow up, often finds herself caught between childhood and teenage life. Despite their fiery tempers, constant bickering, teasing and frequent clashes, Marie and Wendy share the undeniable bond of deep sisterly love…even if they don’t always admit it!

Based on the best-selling comic book series by Cazenove and William published by Bamboo Edition, the 2D animated series for 6-10 year-olds is co-produced by French studios Samka Productions and Bamboo Production for M6, Guilli and Canal+ with the participation of the CNC.

This intelligent, high-energy comedy continues to impress with its clever humour, brilliant writing, and the boundless energy of its leading girls. After the huge success of the first two seasons, our creative team here in Hamburg has had a lot of fun adapting the original comedy for German audiences, infusing it with subtle wordplay and standout performances. Power Sisters fans, get ready – fresh new adventures are on their way!

Anke Schmidt-Bratzel, Commissioning Editor at NDR, Hamburg

We’re thrilled to extend our partnership with NDR and KiKA for a brand-new season and look forward to bringing even more sibling hilarity to German audiences this November.

Dominic Gardiner, Managing Director, Distribution at CAKE

BBC Sport serves up stunning Wimbledon intro with A+C Studios’ papercraft stop-motion magic

The award-winning stop-motion specialists based in Margate have unveiled a charming new papercraft animation created for BBC Sport’s Wimbledon 2025 coverage.

Directed by celebrated animation director Jess Deacon, the handcrafted intro marks the beginning of the BBC’s iconic Wimbledon broadcast, setting the tone for two weeks of world-class tennis with a visually striking, heartfelt homage to the tournament.

Crafted entirely from paper and brought to life through meticulous stop-motion animation, the film blends tradition and texture to capture the timeless elegance of Wimbledon. From Henman Hill to champagne and strawberries, each frame is layered with detail and animated nuance, honouring the tournament’s rich heritage while inviting a new generation of fans.

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Wimbledon is a sporting institution, a global celebration of skill, history, and summer. We wanted to reflect that sense of magic and pageantry in every fold and frame. Paper became the perfect medium to evoke both fragility and craftsmanship just like the sport itself.

Jess Deacon, Director

The animation was entirely produced in A+C’s purpose-built Margate studio, where a team of animators, model-makers and set designers worked over several weeks to construct and animate the intricate papercraft world.

Working with BBC Sport on such a beloved cultural event is a huge honour. Jess and the team have poured their hearts into every second of this film, it’s a celebration of Wimbledon, of animation, and of what happens when traditional craftsmanship meets modern storytelling.

Bethany Abbott, Executive Producer at A+C Studios

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The stop-motion intro premiered on BBC One and iPlayer at the start of Wimbledon 2025, and is now available to watch across BBC Sport’s social channels and BBC Sport website. Watch the full animation here.

Blue Zoo welcomes Claire Horseman to head up award-winning studio culture

The B Corp-certified studio, known for its joyful content and award-winning culture, has announced the appointment of Claire Horseman as its new Head of People & Talent.

Claire is stepping into a pivotal role in shaping the award-winning studio culture, following in the footsteps of Paulene Hamilton, who, after seven years at the helm of the studio’s people strategy, is moving on to well-deserved retirement.

Paulene has been nothing short of a legend, the architect behind Blue Zoo’s celebrated culture. She’s tirelessly built an environment where the team not only thrives but genuinely feels at home, and her work in nurturing talent has been foundational to everything Blue Zoo is today. Under Paulene’s leadership, the studio won a spot on Broadcast’s Best Places to Work in TV list five times in a row. The entire studio wants to extend its heartfelt thanks to Paulene for her immense contributions and wishes her a truly joyful next chapter.

In a fast-moving and ever-changing industry, Claire brings over 25 years of experience across the media and entertainment world and is well-positioned to help navigate the road ahead. She will be leading the people strategy, focusing on attracting and developing top talent, and ensuring that the unique, award-winning Blue Zoo culture remains at the forefront of the studio’s priorities.

It’s impossible to overstate Paulene’s contribution to Blue Zoo. She has been our anchor, ensuring that as we grew, we did so with heart. We will miss her hugely, but she leaves a powerful legacy. Now, as our industry faces new challenges, our strategy is to double down on what makes us unique: our human talent. That’s why we’re so thrilled to welcome Claire. She isn’t just a people leader; she’s a culture builder who gets that the success of a studio comes only from its people. Her experience in helping people grow and adapt is vital for our next chapter of creative innovation and success.

Tom Box, Co-Founder of Blue Zoo

I am absolutely delighted to be joining the talented team at Blue Zoo. It’s a studio renowned for its creativity, innovation, and strong values. I’ve long admired their work and culture. I’m eager to contribute to the studio’s continued success by focusing on attracting, retaining, and developing the best talent in the industry, while honouring the wonderful legacy Paulene Hamilton has built.

Claire Horseman, Head of People & Talent at Blue Zoo

Claire will oversee all aspects of talent management, including recruitment, employee relations, learning and development, compensation and benefits, and diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Animation UK welcomes Creative Industries Sector Plan

Animation UK warmly welcomes the Government’s launch of the Creative Industries Sector Plan as a powerful recognition of the UK’s world-leading screen industries and a vital step towards long-term growth, innovation, and opportunity across our creative economy.

The new plan, part of the UK’s Industrial Strategy, sets out significant measures to boost the creative sector, many of which will have a direct and positive impact on animation. As one of the most dynamic and geographically diverse sectors in the creative industries, UK animation stands to benefit from:

• £75 million Screen Growth Fund: A dedicated investment to develop and showcase UK film and TV content, with animation recognised as a central and distinctive contributor, combining high-quality storytelling, exportable IP, and world-class visual innovation that underpins the UK’s global screen reputation.
• Mayoral Strategic Authority Funds: The £150 million devolved funding for Mayoral Authorities offers an important opportunity to build regional animation hubs and support tailored investment readiness. With 63% of animation companies located outside London and the South East, this investment is vital to grow and sustain the UK’s vibrant animation ecosystem.
• UK Global Screen Fund Expansion: The enhanced funding for the UK Global Screen Fund further strengthens international market access, co-production, and distribution of British screen content including animation. This supports our mission to grow global reach for UK studios and celebrate our storytelling on the world stage.
• Support for Research & Development: The government’s commitment to creative R&D, via UKRI, a new wave of creative clusters, and revised R&D tax guidance reflects the constant innovation inherent in animation. From pioneering virtual production and immersive storytelling to pushing boundaries in visual effects and AI, animation is a natural leader in the ‘createch’ revolution.
• Skills and Talent Investment: With initiatives such as the Creative Careers Programme, creative skills bootcamps, and a new National Centre for Arts and Music Education, the plan reinforces the importance of nurturing the next generation of animators and supporting talent in XR, immersive technologies, and audio-visual production.
• British Business Bank support: Increased access to finance, including new debt and equity funding and support for IP-backed lending, will enable more animation companies, especially SMEs and start-ups to scale and thrive in a globally competitive market.

The launch of the Creative Industries Sector Plan is a strong signal that government understands the value and potential of the UK’s animation sector. This is a strategic and long-overdue commitment to supporting the most innovative and geographically diverse part of the screen sector.

We are especially pleased to see the inclusion of many of the priorities we set out in the Animation UK Manifesto 2025, including the development of animation hubs, enhanced R&D investment, and a clear recognition of the need to unlock access to finance and build a future-facing skills pipeline.

The UK animation sector is ready to deliver, creating jobs, high-value IP, and internationally celebrated content. This plan gives us a platform to grow, and we look forward to working with industry and government to turn it into action..

Kate O’Connor, Executive Chair of Animation UK

The full Creative Industries Sector Plan can be downloaded here.

Welcome to our worlds: Animation UK at Annecy 2025

The UK Pavilion was brought to life by Animation UK and supported by the British Film Institute, the British Film Commission, the Department for Business and Trade, Film London, Creative Wales and Northern Ireland Screen.

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Animation UK returned to Annecy, France, from 10-13 June to host the UK Pavilion, “Animation UK: Welcome to Our Worlds”. The stand was organised by Animation UK and supported by the British Film Institute (BFI), with National Lottery funding, the British Film Commission (BFC), Department for Business and Trade, Film London, Creative Wales, and Northern Ireland Screen.

In the heart of MIFA at Stand D.15, the UK Pavilion proved to be a key hub for delegates, where creators, buyers, commissioners, funders and more, gathered to connect and discover the latest projects and news in our sector. The UK Pavilion proved its popularity and value, hosting 225 scheduled meetings and countless impromptu walk-ins. Animation companies were welcomed with the stand’s eye-catching panels that featured some of the sector’s achievements over the past year, including Oscar-nominated and BAFTA-winning Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.

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Reflecting our broad geographical base, representatives from Wales and London attended to highlight their regions and local incentives. The BFI’s UK Global Screen Fund (UKGSF) and Certification Unit were also present to answer questions from delegates about the UKGSF’s three open access funding strands and how to qualify animation as British in order to access the UK’s Audio-Visual Expenditure Credits. Accountancy firm Saffrey also attended and gave the latest updates on the UK’s tax credit system for animation and offered expert insights into all things finance, tax and structuring, including co-production for animation projects.

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Animated features were a special focus at this year’s pavilion and we were delighted to host an exclusive lunchtime event with the BFC. Kate O’Connor, Executive Chair of Animation UK, introduced the session, followed by a discussion with CEO of the BFC, Adrian Wootton OBE, and CEO of Cantilever Media/Kazoo Films, Andrew Baker, who chatted about the animation tax credits and highlighted its benefits, looking at The Amazing Maurice as a case study in front of a packed pavilion. This past year has seen the positive impact of the government’s new initiatives to bolster high-end TV and film production and this sentiment was echoed and emphasised during the event.

We now have some of the most competitive tax-relief systems in the world, which are brilliantly administered by the BFI. It’s the icing on the cake for the UK animation sector, which is one of the most diverse and dynamic in the world. The UK is now [seen as] a smart investment and a brilliant partner for co-production.

Kate O’Connor, Executive Chair of Animation UK

To strengthen strategic partnerships on behalf of Animation UK, during the week, Kate held meetings with representatives from a range of other countries and organisations. These included: Women In Animation, Ireland, Animation In Europe and many more. 

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A total of thirteen UK productions were shortlisted at this year’s Annecy Festival, including works by members: Cardboard by Locksmith Animation, Big Lizard by Beakus and Tiddler by Magic Light Pictures. See the full list of this year’s winners here, and the list of the shortlisted UK projects in our 2025 brochure here.

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On the Thursday, Animation UK hosted our own reception at the stand, where more than 110 UK delegates registered, with many more MIFA attendees turning up. With the drinks and conversations flowing, the evening saw both new and familiar faces, united in celebrating the UK animation sector on our sunny terrace.

Animation UK member Blue Zoo also hosted a reception at the pavilion to celebrate the studio’s 20th anniversary. Outside the stand, the week was packed with events from other UK studios and companies, including receptions hosted by Magic Light Pictures, Netflix, DNEG Animation, Festivus, Animation Scotland, Locksmith Animation and Passion Pictures.

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The week-long event highlighted the UK’s world-class creativity, technological excellence, and diverse and unique storytelling, and spotlighted the strength of our sector, as well as marking the UK as a global destination for animation.

We would like to thank all of our partners and members for their support, and also extend our thanks to the MIFA team and our fellow delegates for such a wonderful week. We look forward to seeing you all again from 14-20 June 2026!

Warner Bros. Pictures Animation and Locksmith Animation set The Lunar Chronicles for 2028

From Director Noëlle Raffaele and Producer Christina Steinberg, the film brings Marissa Meyer’s best-selling futuristic fairy-tale series to the big screen.

Warner Bros. Pictures Animation and Locksmith Animation announced that The Lunar Chronicles is set to be released by Warner Bros. Pictures on 3 November 2028. Based on Marissa Meyer’s #1 bestselling book series, the film brings Meyer’s futuristic fairy-tale universe to the screen for the first time – blending the scale of science fiction with the heart of timeless fairy-tales in a bold cinematic vision.

The film is directed by Noëlle Raffaele (story artist on The Lego Ninjago Movie, The Marvels, Ray Gunn; director of DC Super Hero Girls) and produced by Christina Steinberg (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Trollhunters, Rise of the Guardians). The screenplay is by Lindsey Ferrentino (The Fear of 13, Queen of Versailles, The Artist) and writing partners Kalen Egan & Travis Sentell (Electric Dreams, The Man in the High Castle).

Visionary artist and designer Es Devlin (CBE, London Design Medal recipient) leads the film’s visual world alongside Patrick Hanenberger (Rise of the Guardians) as production designers. Costume design is by acclaimed fashion designers Laura and Kate Mulleavy, founders of the internationally celebrated label Rodarte. To further elevate the film’s epic scale, visual effects and animation powerhouse Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) has boarded the project.

It takes a team of true visionaries to bring a world as rich and daring as The Lunar Chronicles to life. This is the kind of story that feels like it was waiting for just the right moment—and the right people—to be told. It’s thrilling, emotional, and completely unlike anything we’ve seen before. We’re incredibly proud and can’t wait for audiences to experience it in 2028.

Bill Damaschke, President of Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, and Natalie Fischer, CEO of Locksmith Animation

The Lunar Chronicles is the second film collaboration from Warner Bros. Pictures Animation and Locksmith Animation. The companies are also releasing Bad Fairies from director Megan Nicole Dong on 23 July 2027. Other films on the Warner Bros. Pictures Animation slate include The Cat in the Hat (27 February 2026), Margie Claus (5 November 2027), Oh, the Places You’ll Go! (17 March 2028), and Dynamic Duo (30 June 2028).

Omens Studios secures sales across award-winning slate

New international deals have been announced for Leo the Wildlife Ranger, Counting with Paula and Paula & Pals.

Award-winning animation company Omens Studios has secured new international sales for its popular series Leo the Wildlife Ranger, Counting with Paula and Paula & Pals.

beIN Media Group acquired media rights across Middle East and North Africa to season 3 of Leo the Wildlife Ranger (80 x 7’), season 2 of Paula & Pals (65 x 7’) and seasons 5 (20 x 11’), 6 (40 x 11’), and 7 (40 x 11’) of Counting with Paula for its children’s channels and OTT platforms. AMC Networks has taken rights to Leo The Wildlife Ranger seasons 2 and 3 for its preschool channel Jim Jam, while Brazilian broadcaster Globo has acquired Leo The Wildlife Ranger season 3 (80 x 7’) and renewed seasons 1 (60 x 11’) and 2 (52 x 11’).

We’re delighted to welcome our new premium broadcast partners on board, and excited that Leo the Wildlife Ranger, Counting with Paula and Paula & Pals are all finding and connecting with new global audiences, over broadcast and a range of different ways.

Chi Sim Tang, CEO of Omens Studios

Omens Studios’ broader strategy for their properties are to continue to create content that engages for viewers and performs for broadcast partners, while expanding to engage audiences where they already are. Having achieved billions of views on the studio’s Leo the Wildlife Ranger YouTube channels and hundreds of thousands of downloads for their mobile game ‘Leo the Wildlife Ranger Kids Games’, the studio has also released a brand new Roblox experience, ‘Leo the Wildlife Ranger Simulator’.

Leo the Wildlife Ranger was commissioned by Singapore’s national public broadcaster Mediacorp and is available internationally in over 50 territories. The series has also scored multiple awards, including Best Children’s Programme at the Asian Television Awards 2024 and a Silver Telly Award for Television Animation Series.

The wildlife-centric series is aimed at 3-7 year olds and provides young audiences with zoology facts, teaches environmental awareness and nature conservation and helps build social skills and team work, all in fun and entertaining ways.

Paula & Pals is a brand new 68 x 7’ CG animated spin-off series from 123 Number Squad!. Commissioned by Mediacorp, the series is aimed at for 3-6 year olds and focusses on social-emotional development and mental well-being.

A total of seven seasons are available of the award-winning Counting with Paula (384 x 11’), a CG animated series also for 3-6 year olds that makes learning about numbers fun and entertaining.