Disney takes eOne toon global

The Walt Disney Company will launch an animated superhero toon from Entertainment One Family around the world.

PJ Masks will debut on Disney Channel and Disney Junior in the US and France 5 on September 18, after which it will roll out on Disney Junior networks globally.

The preschool show, based on French author Romuald Racioppo’s picture book series Les Pyjamasques, comes from eOne and Frog Box in collaboration with Paris-based TeamTO.

eOne has international distribution and licensing rights, and is planning a full-scale global consumer products programme.

PJ Marks follows the nighttime adventures of three young friends who transform into superhero alter-egos when they put on their pyjamas and active their animal amulets.

“From the moment that Frog Box first pitched Romuald’s book to us in our Paris office, we knew that a PJ Masksseries could deliver a new kind of age-appropriate super-hero adventure with great characters, universal themes, and sharp storylines that would strike a chord with pre-schoolers and their parents around the world,” Hélène Etzi, senior VP and general manager, Disney Channels EMEA.

“Helping to bring this series to life in collaboration with Frog Box, leading independent eOne, and top animation studio TeamTO underlines our commitment to creating and sourcing the very best content for kids that not only works on a local level, but a global basis too, no matter where the ideas and stories are created.”

eOne Family managing director Olivier Dumont said PJ Masks “exemplifies what we’re really trying to do with our overall offering”.

“Our long-term strategy is to build a robust portfolio with exciting marketing prospects for boys and girls in each key age group and strong digital and ancillary avenues to maximise our already prolific licensing infrastructure.

“The licensing program for PJ Masks will skew slightly more towards boys, which perfectly complements the girl skewing licensing programme for Peppa Pig.”