Adaptation of beloved book series by ‘Pippi Longstocking’ author Astrid Lindgren is directed by Gorō Miyazaki; Amazon Studios also orders new series ‘Little Big Awesome,’ combining 2D animation, puppetry and live-action, and greenlights second season of ‘The Stinky & Dirty Show.’
SEATTLE -- Amazon has ordered two new Amazon Original Kids Series including Little Big Awesome that combines 2D animation, puppetry, and live-action; and the Emmy Award-winning Ronja the Robber’s Daughter, debuting later this fall and narrated by Golden Globe Award-winning actress Gillian Anderson (The X-Files). An additional 26 episodes of the hit preschool series The Stinky & Dirty Show have also been greenlit. All three series will debut on Prime Video in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Austria and Japan.
Amazon’s new children’s series come from talented creators including Ben Gruber (SpongeBob SquarePants, Superjail!) and Academy Award-winning Studio Ghibli (Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle). The Stinky & Dirty Show, which debuted last month, is rated 4.8 stars by customers with 87% 5-star reviews and available to stream and download today.
“We are truly honored to be working with a team of exceptionally talented creators,” said Tara Sorensen, head of kids programming at Amazon Studios. “From the unique style of Little Big Awesome to the adaptation of beloved book series Ronja the Robber’s Daughter, we aim to bring a new level of storytelling to our customers and their families.”
Little Big Awesome is a comedy for kids ages 6 to 11 that combines 2D animation, puppetry, and real live action footage as we explore the whimsically weird world of Ballopolis. The series follows Gluko, a jelly giant, and Lennon, a small kid-like creature with a fuzzy hat, who are inseparable buddies. They adventure through a universe where sea turtles fly, flowers talk, and tear drops splash around on a hot summer day. Gluko and Lennon’s desire to help those around them can, at times, lead them to epically outlandish places, but at the end of the day, the series is about two best buds making their own fun and enjoying the wonderfully strange world around them. The series is created by Tomas Dieguez (TRONCO), executive produced by Ben Gruber (SpongeBob SquarePants and Superjail!), and animated by Emmy award-winning studio Titmouse (Randy Cunningham, Metalocalypse). Dieguez, Diego Sebastian Rosner (Underdogs), Agustin Alberdi, Andrés Ernesto Fogwill and Ignacio Orive are co-executive producers.
The Emmy Award-winning Ronja the Robber’s Daughter is an adaptation of the wildly popular children’s fantasy book of the same name by noted Swedish author Astrid Lindgren (Pippi Longstocking). The series is directed by Gorō Miyazaki and presented by the Academy Award-winning Studio Ghibli (Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle) and Saltkrakan (the Astrid Lindgren Company). Ronja The Robber’s Daughter is narrated by Golden Globe Award-winning actress Gillian Anderson (The X-Files); an epic 26-part animated story of a strong, adventurous young girl who grows up exploring a beautiful and dangerous forest filled with mythical creatures. The daughter of a professional robber, Ronja realizes the complicated nature of her father’s profession when she befriends Birk, the child of a rival tribe. Ronja struggles to balance the relationship with her family and the bond with her self-proclaimed brother Birk as she comes to understand the intricate issues of family and friendship and how differences can be overcome with the help of love and understanding.
Based on the “I Stink!” book series by Kate and Jim McMullan, The Stinky & Dirty Show follows the adventures and mishaps faced by best friends and unlikely heroes, Stinky the garbage truck and Dirty, the backhoe loader. The series is written and developed by Guy Toubes (The Adventures of Chuck & Friends, Littlest Pet Shop, Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi) and animated by Brown Bag Films (Peter Rabbit, Octonauts, Doc McStuffins). Season one of The Stinky & Dirty Show features original music from acclaimed folk singer and songwriter Dan Bern and celebrity voice talent, including Whoopi Goldberg (The View), Jane Lynch (Glee), Andy Richter (Arrested Development), Joan Cusack (Shameless) and Wallace Shawn (Toy Story). The newest original preschool series to foster lifelong creative learning, the series’ curriculum was developed by Dr. Alice Wilder and Jessica Lahey, author of the New York Times best-seller The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed, on which the curriculum is based.
Source: Amazon Studios
Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.
