After 75 celebrated years, the iconic tales of Babar get a 21st-century update in THE NEW ADVENTURES OF BABAR, a new 3D animated series in production from Canada's Nelvana Studio and France's TeamTO. Twenty-six episodes are in the works with broadcast set for fall 2010/spring 2011 on TF1 in France and YTV in Canada. Playhouse Disney France is pre-buying the series to air in a second broadcast window.
The series will introduce King Babar's eight-year-old grandson, and will explore the special relationship between grandparents and grandchildren. Babar's grandson is a one-elephant stampede, bursting with a sense of adventure. He laughs often and has inherited his grandfather's daring spirit, often plunging into a situation (or a hidden passageway or unexplored temple) fully confident that he can handle whatever he finds. To see his grandson rushing so enthusiastically into the world makes Babar feel as if he is discovering it anew for himself.
Viewers will also meet a cast of new characters including the grandson's friends: Chiku the monkey (Zephir's daughter), Monroe the porcupine, Zawadi the zebra and Jake the hyena, offering kid-friendly views of palace intrigue and comic jungle adventures.
Inspired by the classic children's books from Jean and Laurent de Brunhoff, Nelvana produced a 2D television series entitled BABAR from 1989 to 1991 (65 episodes with Ellipse Programme) and from 2000 to 2001 (13 episodes with Ellipse Animation and Kodansha), which still broadcasts internationally.
Based in Paris, TeamTO is an independent animation studio focused on producing innovative TV series and feature films and has partnered with Nickelodeon, Nelvana and Canal+ and has earned numerous awards and nominations, including Emmys and the Cartoons on the Bay Pulcinella award.
