MipJunior Preview: Established Series Have the Edge

variety.com:

Ed Meza @edmezavar Facing tight budgets and continued uncertainty in the entertainment sector, buyers at this year’s MipJunior are expected to largely stick to tried and true IP, but many still see opportunities for exciting original content.

In addition to presenting the hottest new kids’ shows from around the globe, MipJunior, which runs Oct. 13-15, will examine the latest developments and trends that are redefining the market, such as the state of co-production and financing amid audience fragmentation, consumer use of multi-platform media, the growing role of gaming and the emergence of disruptive technologies like AI. “Given the current uncertainties in the sector around streamers and broadcasters, we see less appetite for risk and thus more interest in established brands and IP with built-in audiences,” says Bernd Wendeln, COO of Munich-based Your Family Entertainment (YFE).

A subsidiary of Beverly Hills- based Kartoon Studios, YFE’s recent hit titles include “Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten,” starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, “Rainbow Rangers” and “Thomas Edison’s Secret Lab.” Big names are also toplining Kartoon Studios and YFE’s newest shows: “Shaq’s Garage” features former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal in animated form, and in “Wolfgang Puck’s Secret Chef Academy,” the renowned chef mentors kids who travel the world to procure beloved recipes from the cultures they visit.

Kartoon Channel president Paul Robinson says the group is having great success with gaming content in addition to its animated originals.