Corus takes majority stake in ‘Holly Hobbie’ prodco Aircraft Pictures

Holly Hobbie

Canada’s Corus Entertainment has acquired a majority stake in Aircraft Pictures, the Toronto-based firm behind Hulu’s Holly Hobbie and animated feature The Breadwinner.

Aircraft Pictures was founded in 2005 by Canadian producer duo Anthony Leo and Andrew Rosen. It now has offices in LA and Toronto, and focuses on shows for kids, families and young adults. Financial details have not been revealed.

Recent projects for the firm include three TV movies based on the Bruno & Boots book series by Canadian young adult fiction icon Gordon Korman, supernatural comedy Todd & The Book Of Pure Evil and single-camera comedy Raising Expectations, created by Tom Saunders.

Aircraft also collaborated on C.S.I. creator Anthony E. Zuiker’s film Cybergeddon and the NBCUniversal web series, Heroes Reborn: Dark Matters.

Corus, which owns kids studio Nelvana, publisher Kids Can Press, and production arm Corus Studios, said the deal marked “an important investment” in its strategy, while Aircraft added that the pact would expand “its capacity for developing, financing and producing premium content, with a focus on international co-productions.”

“Bringing Aircraft Pictures’ demonstrated creative capabilities and entrepreneurial talents into the Corus orbit will help to accelerate our strategy of expanding our global content business,” said Colin Bohm, EVP of content & corporate strategy at Corus Entertainment.

Anthony Leo, co-president of Aircraft Pictures, said: “As we plan to grow the company in new and exciting ways, the additional resources that this landmark step provides will increase the value Aircraft Pictures can extend to our partners exponentially.”

Andrew Rosen, Aircraft’s co-president, added: Having worked with Corus for many years achieving tremendous success with the Bruno & Boots films, we’re looking forward to turning this exciting partnership into a legacy of family-friendly content that resonates with audiences around the world.”