With more than six million copies of Ian Falconer's beloved OLIVIA series books sold to date, and with just as many fans, Nickelodeon has partnered with media content company, Chorion, to bring the bestselling Simon & Schuster books to life in a new animated television series. The debut of this anticipated preschool series is planned for 2009.
Nickelodeon plans to launch the new 3D CG series that will include 26 half-hour episodes during the first quarter of 2009. Academy Award nominated animation studio Brown Bag Films will be animating the project and Teri Weiss will be the executive in charge with Chorion's Diana Manson, EVP, Creative and Megan Laughton, Director, Creative.
In keeping with OLIVIA's stellar publishing history, books will be featured prominently in the upcoming consumer products rollout. The Simon Spotlight and Simon Scribbles imprints of Simon and Schuster will be developing a robust television tie-in program with a myriad of formats, from storybooks to novelty and coloring books set to launch in late 2009.
Olivia's imagination leads the way in this new series which aims to foster the sense of make-believe and play that every preschooler has. The show will encourage children to be creative and to think beyond the scope of everyday parameters, instilling a sense that with a strong imagination, there are endless possibilities for any great idea. Mostly the show, like this character, celebrates a spunky, confident personality who is always wondering "what if?"
With the popular book series already translated into more than 20 languages, OLIVIA has become a sensation both here in the US and also abroad. The most recent OLIVIA HELPS WITH CHRISTMAS was released this past fall to both major critical and popular raves and went on to become one of the top selling books in all of publishing this past holiday season.
