News round-up: Carlsen Verlag & Beta prep ‘Superbikes’; Viaplay enters Greece; Chris Bangle launches prodco

SuperBikes

Carlsen Verlag & Beta prep SuperBikes

Publisher Carlsen Verlag and Beta Film have linked with Ulysses Films to create a 3D animated series, marking one of the first such projects out of Germany.

SuperBikes will be a 52 x 11-minute series that targets kids aged 4 to 7 and will be presented at Cartoon Forum, which opens 18 September in Toulouse/France.

The show follows three main bike characters – Jump, Lexi and Flo – who join other friends as they have adventures and try to grow up to be like the bigger bikes they see around town.

Plans are also in place to publish 20 books based on SuperBikes, which will become available across Germany, Austria and Switzerland in 2025. Video and gaming content is also in the works.

Frank Kühne, editor in chief for brands at Carlsen, said: “With SuperBikes, we are launching a fascinating new kids IP. Bicycles, mobility, and sustainability are huge trends among children and parents everywhere. The world of SuperBikes, which we at Carlsen devised, offer all of that.”

Claudia Schmitt, head of kids & family at Beta Film, said: “SuperBikes is the first joint project development between a publisher and a producer/distributor that I know of. It truly feels like a perfect match: our competences complement each other in so many ways.”

Viaplay enters Greece

Viaplay has expanded into Greece after partnering with broadband operator Vodafone Greece.

The multi-year deal will see Viaplay Select launch on the Vodafone TV service, with hundreds of hours of series and films available in a branded area.

Shows include dark satire The Architect, true crime show To Solve A Murder and a biopic of NHL superstar Börje Salming starring Jason Priestley

The exclusive agreement extends Viaplay Select’s footprint to 11 European markets and 23 in total worldwide.

Chris Bangle launches prodco

Car designer Chris Bangle has launched a new prodco named Inanimatti Inc., with the nascent firm taking its first show to MIPJunior next month.

Arky Arch Adventures is in development at Inanimatti, with Eric S. Rollman – who served as president of Marvel Animation, Saban Entertainment and Fox Family Productions prior to launching Rollman Entertainment in 2010 – overseeing the project.

Inanimatti Inc. houses the narrative world created by Bangle and his partners, who include linguist Fiorella Marengo. Arky Arch Adventures is the inaugural project, a 13 x 20-minute animated series for kids ages 6 to 12 where everyday objects come alive.

The comedy-adventure series follows the story of Arky, a hopeful, young Roman Arch who embarks on a high-stakes journey across the planet Tredi to uncover his true purpose and save the world from devastation.

“Our primary objective with the Inanimatti is to create a universe of imagination based, of all things, on how car designers see the world as full of buildings and things that are alive,” said Bangle.

“We hope to encourage kids to see the world around them in a new and imaginative way, fostering a deeper appreciation for design and creativity, as well as teaching them the importance of accepting diversity and change in others as well as within themselves.”

Bangle spendt 17 years as head of design at BMW and reimagined the designs of BMW, Mini, Rolls Royce and Fiat, among others.