BBC Studios Kids & Family secures international distribution rights for Magic Light Pictures’ Zog TV series

BBC Studios Kids & Family has signed a deal with Magic Light Pictures for international distribution rights to its animated Zog TV series.

Based on the award-winning books by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, the series is a 52 x 11’ animated comedy adventure following Zog the dragon, Princess Pearl and Sir Gadabout as they care for ‘the weird and wonderful inhabitants of their fantastical world’.

The deal also includes all US consumer products and licensing rights for the TV series.

“We’re delighted to be working with Magic Light Pictures who have a formidable reputation in the global animation industry,” said Managing Director of BBC Studios Kids & Family, Cecilia Persson.

“It’s a partnership with a shared passion for creative excellence and for nurturing much loved characters and stories and bringing them to life. Zog is about caring for others, yourself and the amazing world around you so it is the perfect addition to our pre-school animation slate and we look forward to sharing it with audiences around the world.”

Michael Rose, Joint CEO at Magic Light Pictures, added: “We’re thrilled to be partnering with BBC Studios Kids & Family to bring Zog to audiences worldwide. Their superb global reach complements our own team’s expertise to ensure we can maximize opportunities for this fantastic new series. Pearl, Zog and Gadabout make a wonderfully comedic trio, captivating children and families with their imaginative adventures, and we look forward to working with the Kids & Family team to build Zog into a truly global brand.”

The deal excludes UK and Germany where the series has been commissioned by BBC Children’s and Education and ZDF respectively. Magic Light Pictures continues to represent all Zog licensing rights in UK and Europe alongside its global Gruffalo and Friends distribution and licensing programme.