Canal+ has commissioned French animation house Dandelooo to produce a new 2D animated series for three to five year olds, entitled “Max & Rabbit”. Based on the best-selling children’s book series by French author Astrid Desbordes and illustrated by Pauline Martin, the show follows the titular protagonists through their daily routines. Told from Max’s perspective, the show will feature unique and clever tools to teach young viewers how to manage emotions, listen better, verbalize and find solutions to everyday problems that children may encounter. Animation for the series will begin next month at Dandelooo’s Ooolala studio in Cartoucherie, Valence. The episodes will be directed by Clément Céard, whose animator credits include the Oscar-nominated “Persepolis”, the popular adult animated series “Lastman” and 2D sequences in Jim Capobianco and Pierre-Luc Granjon’s “The Inventor”. Dandelooo and Canal+ share a fruitful history of collaboration. The former is currently in production on “The Upside-Down River”, a series based on the novel of the same name by Jean Claude Mourlevat, commissioned by the broadcaster. The company also produced the award-winning short film “Mum is Pouring Rain” for Canal+, which won a Jury Prize in Annecy in 2021. According to Dandelooo Producer & Head of International Emmanuèle Pétry: “With this new commission, we are delighted to continue the creative collaboration on this beautiful IP with Nathalie Leffray and Christine Cauquelin from Canal+, building on the great teamwork that was established during the production of the fantasy series ‘The Upside Down River’.” “Canal+ is delighted to start a new collaboration with the Dandelooo team,” added Christine Cauquelin, Director of Programs and Channels for Documentaries, Youth and Animation at the French broadcaster. “The 'Max & Rabbit' books by Astrid Desbordes and Pauline Martin have won our hearts with their modern look, the soft tongue-in-cheek tone that brings humor. We believe that the series will fully meet our desire to tell stories to the youngest, because the characters are kind, smart and a little naughty. We have no doubt that our audience will love this new series.” Dandelooo will handle the international distribution, with delivery of the series scheduled for Q4 2025.

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