Disney Branded Television Could Be Put Up For Sale

Disney CEO Bob Iger sat down with CNBC's David Faber at Allen & Co.'s annual conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, on Thursday.

Disney announced Wednesday that it was extending Iger's contract by two years through 2026. Iger returned to the helm of Disney late last year. The company has since undergone thousands of layoffs and cut billions of dollars in spending, including from content.

Disney CEO Bob Iger on media landscape: Challenges are greater than I had anticipated

DisneynhhCEO Bob Iger opened the door to selling the company's linear TV assets as the business struggles during the media industry's transition to streaming and digital offerings.

Iger appeared Thursday on, the morning after the company announced it would extend his contract by two years through 2026. He returned to the helm of the company in November after Disney's board ousted Bob Chapek with a two-year contract through 2024 and plans to find a next successor.

"After coming back, I realized the company is facing a lot of challenges, some of them self-inflicted," Iger told David Faber at Allen & Co.'s annual conference in Sun Valley, Idaho, noting he's accomplished a lot of work in seven months but there's more to be done.

At the top of the list is assessing the traditional TV business, Iger said. Disney owns a portfolio of TV networks, from broadcast station ABC to cable TV channels like ESPN. 

Disney is going to be "expansive" in its thinking about the traditional TV business, leaving the door open to a possible sale of the networks. "They may not be core to Disney," Iger said, adding the creativity that has come from those networks has been key for Disney. 

On Thursday, ABC News President Kim Godwin to employees expressed support for Iger's contract extension, according to a person familiar with the matter. Godwin encouraged ABC staffers to focus on their work and audience, the person added.

Cable TV channel ESPN is in a different bucket, however. On that front, Iger said Disney is open to finding a strategic partner, which could take the form of a joint venture or offloading an ownership stake. 

Iger said when he had left the company he had predicted the future of traditional TV and had been "very pessimistic," and has found since his return that he was right in his thinking, adding it's worse than he expected. 

When Iger last spoke with Faber in February, soon after announcing a major restructuring at the company, he said that he felt "a sense of obligation" to return to Disney and that his preference was to stay for his two-year contract.

"We've gotten a lot done very quickly, significant cost reductions and significant realignment of the company," Iger said. "But dealing head on with some of our biggest challenges."

The appearance in February came shortly after Disney announced a sweeping restructuring that included thousands of layoffs and billions of dollars cut in spending.

The reorganization warded off a potential proxy fight with activist investor Nelson Peltz.

Disney reorganized into three segments: Disney Entertainment, which includes most of its streaming and media operations; an ESPN division; and a parks, experiences and product unit.

These were some of Iger's most significant actions in the months after his return. Disney revealed it would cut $5.5 billion in costs, consisting of $3 billion from content, excluding sports, and the remaining amount from noncontent costs. The company earmarked 7,000 layoffs.

In addition to looking for his next successor, Iger has been tasked with bringing Disney's streaming business to profitability. In the last year, media executives across all companies have focused on how to make streaming profitable, particularly after behemoth Netflix lost subscribers early last year and since instituted an ad-supported tier and a crackdown on password sharing to drive revenue.

While the company posted revenue and profit in line with Wall Street estimates last quarter, it saw a loss of 4 million subscribers at its flagship streamer Disney+.

Those subscriber losses were offset by price increases, which Iger said in May weren't to blame for the lower numbers. Instead, he said it showed room for further increases when it comes to streaming, and pushing customers toward the ad-supported tier, with the aim of reaching profitability.

In an effort to bulk up Disney+ and attract more subscribers to its cheaper, ad-supported tier – which it launched last year – the company announced last quarter it would add Hulu content to Disney+.

Disney has been weighing whether it should buy all of Hulu, as it owns 66% and Comcast

 owns the rest. It's likely Comcast will sell its Hulu stake to Disney at the beginning of 2024, CNBC previously reported.

Iger said Thursday that since he returned to Disney, he ultimately concluded the company is "better off having Hulu." 

He added the combined Hulu and Disney+ offering would be available by the end of the calendar year, and the upcoming negotiations with Comcast over valuation wouldn't prevent that. 

"The combination of those apps is designed to obviously help the [streaming] business become profitable," Iger said.

The Walt Disney Company To Close 11 Channels In Taiwan, Could Africa Follow Perhaps?

In 2021, The Walt Disney Company unveiled plans to close 100 international channels so there was a lot of fear for the Disney Channels in Africa following the closure of Disney XD and FOX but MultiChoice managed to secure rights for these brands through 2024.

Fast forward to 2023, The Walt Disney Company had confirmed the closure of more channels with consumers in Taiwan set to lose out on a number of brands including National Geographic, National Geographic Wild, Baby TV, Star Entertainment and Star World.

Disney+ launched in 2019 and has since then become a top priority for the blue brand. Not much investment is going onto Disney Channel or National Geographic as the brands being used to promote the bulk of content seen on the streaming service.

Following the demise of these channels in Taiwan, there's now a lot of fear for these channels in Africa and I know MultiChoice had managed to carry Disney Channel, Disney Junior, National Geographic and National Geographic Wild through 2024.

But for all we know these channels could go dark by the 31st December 2023 at 23:59 which rounds up to 2024 as seen in Taiwan. It had been speculated that most of The Walt Disney Company"s linear offering won't leave past 2025 in European territories.

Disney XD was terminated in Africa alongside the United Kingdom's Disney Channels in 2020 followed by FOX which saw the brand exit Germany, Asia and Africa by 2021. Now there's rumours swirling that the brand would be closing channels across Africa by early 2024.

Disney Branded TV & Disney EMEA Kicked Off Next 100 Years Of Toons At Annecy

Disney Branded Television and Disney Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA) took to the stage at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival to announce new projects, debut sneak-peeks, and highlight the expansion of current hit series that are poised to usher in the next century of Disney storytelling.

Titled “The Next 100,” the presentation centered on both Disney’s storied legacy in animation, as well as how the company is creating the next generation of hits. Hélène Etzi, Country Manager & General Manager of Media for The Walt Disney Company France, opened the presentation with Orion Ross, Vice President of Animation for The Walt Disney Company EMEA, and Ayo Davis, President of Disney Branded Television, making several announcements.

Ross announced greenlights for the all-new preschool adventure series Magicampers, set to premiere globally on Disney+ and Disney Junior next year, and the original comedy series The Sunnyridge 3. He also gave attendees a first look at the official trailer for the sci-fi anthology Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire, premiering July 5 on Disney+ (check it out here). New episodes of fan-favorite Chip ‘n’ Dale: Park Life, coming later this year, were revealed, and the latest artwork for the upcoming EMEA originals The Doomies and Dragon Striker was unveiled.

Davis gave attendees a sneak peek of upcoming series and made several announcements, including the greenlight of Disney Junior’s Ariel, a new series inspired by The Little Mermaid. Executive producer Lynne Southerland answered questions onstage and previewed an early animation test featuring Ariel and fan-favorite character Flounder.

Davis also announced the new Disney Channel series StuGo, as well as renewals for four popular series: season four of Marvel’s Spidey and His Amazing Friends, season three of Firebuds, season three of The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder and season two of Kiff. She also shared sneak peeks of several animated shorts, along with other announcements (see below).

Ross and Davis commented: “We’re delighted to be in Annecy announcing our continued commitment to working with leading studios and creators here in France and across the globe, to bring new voices, universal stories and brilliant animation to kids and family audiences around the world.”

New Series Greenlights
Disney Branded Television

Disney Junior’s Ariel (Disney Junior)
Executive producer: Lynne Southerland
Producer: Ezra Edmond
Supervising Director: Kuni Tomita Bowen
Art Director: Chrystin Garland
Story Editors: Norma P. Sepulveda and Keith Wagner
Produced by: Wild Canary in association with Disney Junior

Disney Junior’s Ariel is an animated musical series for preschoolers inspired by the beloved story of The Little Mermaid. It follows eight-year-old mermaid princess Ariel as she and her friends embark on fun-filled, action-packed underwater adventures throughout their Caribbean-inspired fairytale kingdom of Atlantica and beyond. The series features fan-favorite characters, including King Triton, Ursula, Sebastian and Flounder, as well as exciting new additions like Ariel’s two best friends, mer-children Lucia and Fernie, and lots of other adorable sea creatures. The series is currently in production for a 2024 release across Disney platforms worldwide.

StuGo characters
StuGo (Disney Channel)
Creator/Executive Producer: Ryan Gillis
Co-Executive Producer: Sunil Hall
Story Editor: Craig Lewis
Produced by: Titmouse in association with Disney Channel

StuGo is an original animated series about six overambitious middle schoolers who are tricked into attending a fake academic summer camp by a mad scientist. Now they’re stuck for three months on a wild tropical island with mind-reading manatees, giant fighting fungi and fashion-forward mutants ― less academia than they’d hoped for, but a lot more adventure.

The newly announced cast includes Tania Gunadi as Pliny, Zosia Mamet as Merian, Gabourey Sidibe as Francis, Charlyne Yi as Larry, Zach Reino as Chip, Deborah Baker Jr. as Sara, and Lorraine Toussaint as Dr. Lullah.

Disney EMEA

Magicampers
Magicampers (Disney+)
Creator: Obie Scott Wade
Executive Producer: Sandrine Nguyen Tiet
Director: Daniel Dubuis
Writers: Ashley Mendoza, Simon Nicholson, Elizabeth Kamir
Produced by: Mikros Animation for Disney EMEA

Disney’s preschool original Magicampers follows the adventures of best friends Darly and Loomis at a day camp for magical creatures on a fantastical island. Darly is half-pig and half-Pegasus, Loomis is half-donkey and half-unicorn, and their young friends are also mythical mashups of all stripes. Every day they go on incredible journeys of discovery and dream of becoming legendary, having their stories told and retold for all time. At the heart of the series, Darly and Loomis will learn that becoming a legend isn’t about mastering magic powers or winning the biggest prize — it’s about understanding and accepting yourself and others and working together with all kinds of friends. The series stars a diverse young cast as the Magicampers, with Emmy Award winner Uzo Aduba (Mrs. America, Orange Is the New Black) as nature spirit and camp leader Treena.

THE SUNNYRIDGE 3 (Disney)
The Sunnyridge 3 (Disney+)
Creators: Stevie Gee and Essy May
Executive Producers: Chapman Maddox, Jen Coatsworth, James Stevenson Bretton, Jon Rutherford, Benjamin Lole
Director: Liz Whittaker
Head Writer: Jack Bernhardt
Produced by: Blink Industries and Boat Rocker for Disney EMEA

In the original comedy-mystery series The Sunnyridge 3, a trio of lifelong best friends investigate strange goings-on in a uniquely bizarre shopping center on the fringes of suburban London. Rose, Jeru and Wayne practically grew upat the Sunnyridge Mall, but this summer, the weirdness has gone to a whole new level. With their imaginations running wild, they will chase down any conspiracy theory no matter where it leads. Could it be werewolves, hauntings or an ancient curse? Robots, aliens or renegade AI? The trio will discover that the truth is always stranger than fiction in this unpredictable genre-bending mashup created by British team Stevie Gee and Essy May. Multiple award-winning U.K. animation studio Blink Industries (Dead End: Paranormal Park; Love, Death + Robots) produces, in association with multiple award-winning global entertainment company Boat Rocker (Dino Ranch, Love Monster).

Sneak Peeks
Disney EMEA

Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire (July 5 on Disney+) — See full coverage here.

The Doomies
The Doomies (Disney+)
Creators: Andrès Fernandez & Pozla (a.k.a. Rémi Zaarour)
Producer: Marc du Pontavice
Director: Andrès Fernandez
Head Writer: Henry Gifford
Produced by: Xilam Animation for Disney EMEA

When best friends Bobby and Romy mistakenly open a gateway to another world, they turn their sleepy coastal town into a hotspot for terrifying creatures of doom. Roped into an epic supernatural mystery, they will cross paths with the so-called “Chosen One” and do battle with both literal and inner monsters. The Doomies is a spooky comedy that combines thrills, chills and surprises with character-driven comedy from an odd couple of ordinary teens engulfed by extraordinary circumstances. Its fast-paced humor and high-stakes action take place in a quirky French town in the heart of Brittany, imagined with moody flair and graphic style.

Dragon Striker
Dragon Striker (Disney+)
Creator/Producer: Sylvain Dos Santos
Director: Charles Lefebvre
Head Writer: Paul McKeown
Produced by: Cybergroup Studios and La Chouette Compagnie for Disney EMEA

When the world’s most popular sport combines with magic, awesomeness escalates quicker than a dragon-powered strike! In this action-packed adventure full of comedy and high-stakes sports drama, elite players have magical signature moves they can use on the pitch. Twelve-year-old Key is a farm-boy fanboy who can only dream of entering the famous school where the greatest players train before joining the big leagues — until he discovers he has his own ultra-powerful spell and may even be the legendary Dragon Striker. Key joins a team of hapless underdogs who band together to take on the school champions, all the while fighting to prevent an ancient evil from resurfacing.

Disney Branded Television

The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse: Steamboat Silly (July 28 on Disney+)
Executive Producer: Paul Rudish
Producer: Philip M. Cohen
Director: Eddie Trigueros
Produced by: Disney Television Animation

The beloved Emmy Award-winning The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse shorts culminate with a final episode titled Steamboat Silly, which follows Mickey Mouse and his friends as they must stop hundreds of old film reel versions of Mickey from wreaking havoc all over town. The short will debut July 28 on Disney+ as part of Disney’s 100-year anniversary celebration.

Primos (Disney Channel)
Creator/Executive Producer: Natasha Kline
Producer: Philip Cohen
Supervising Director: Shaun Cashman
Story Editor: Karla Sakas Shropshire
Produced by: Disney Television Animation

From Emmy Award-nominated creator and executive producer Natasha Kline, Primos introduces Tater Ramirez Humphrey, an eccentric girl with big dreams, determined to find what makes her extraordinary. When her 12 chaotic cousins (“primos” in Spanish) move in for the summer, they help her discover her true self. The series is inspired by Kline’s childhood experiences with her extended multicultural Mexican American family.

The newly announced main cast includes Myrna Velasco as Tater Ramirez Humphrey; Melissa Villaseñor as Tater’s younger sister, Nellie Ramirez Humphrey; Michelle Ortiz as Tater’s mom, Bibi Ramirez Humphrey; and Jim Conroy as Tater’s dad, Bud Humphrey.

The recurring cast includes Angélica María as Tater’s grandmother, Buela; Liza Koshy as Tater’s friend, Serena; and cousins Becca Q. Co (Lotlot), Cristina Valenzuela (Tere and Toñita), Elizabeth Grullón (Lita), Jonathan Melo (Scooter), Sarah Tubert (Cookita), Natasha Kline (Gordita and ChaCha), Nomi Ruiz (Tabi), Rick Simon (Big Nacho and Cousin Bud) and Ryan Anderson Lopez (Nachito).

ZOMBIES: The Re-Animated Series
ZOMBIES: The Re-Animated Series (Disney Channel)
Executive Producers: Aliki Theofilopoulos, Jack Ferraiolo, Gary Marsh, David Light, and Joseph Raso
Producer: Melanie Pal
Supervising Director: Leah Artwick
Story Editor: Rachel McNevin
Produced by: Disney Television Animation

Meg Donnelly and Milo Manheim will reprise their roles as Seabrook’s star-crossed zombie/cheerleader couple, Zed and Addison, in Disney Branded Television’s next iteration of the hit ZOMBIES franchise. Fans can first catch the Seabrook crew in animated form in ZOMBIES: The Re-Animated Series Shorts, premiering Friday, July 21, on Disney Channel, Disney Channel YouTube and DisneyNOW, and thereafter on Disney+. Next, ZOMBIES: The Re-Animated Series, a new comedy-musical animated series, will premiere on Disney Channel.

ZOMBIES: The Re-Animated Series Shorts is an animated short-form series that continues the adventures of fan favorites Zed, Addison and the Seabrook crew from the hit ZOMBIES franchise. The shorts, which keep the spirit and jam-packed music of the movies, find the friends encountering new monsters — a carnivorous plant monster, horrifying mega-cricket and even evil clones — while dealing with school and new experiences like a never-ending summer time loop.

Reprising their roles are Ariel Martin, Chandler Kinney and Pearce Joza as werewolves Wynter, Willa and Wyatt; Carla Jeffery and Trevor Tordjman as cheerleaders Bree and Bucky; Jonathan Langdon as Coach; James Godfrey and Kylee Russell as zombies Bonzo and Eliza; and Terry Hu as outer space alien A-Spen.

Playdate with Winnie the Pooh
Playdate with Winnie the Pooh (Disney Junior)
Executive Producer: Chris Hamilton
Co-Executive Producer: Elise Fachon
Producer: Greg Chalekian
Director: Jojo Ramos Patrick
Produced by: OddBot Inc. in association with Disney Junior

Playdate with Winnie the Pooh follows a young Pooh Bear as he enjoys playdates with his friends. Set in the exciting outdoors of the Hundred Acre Wood, these musical shorts emphasize collaborative play and the joy of spending time with others. Playdate with Winnie the Pooh is set to debut this summer in the U.S. and will then rollout globally.

Disney Junior Wonderful World of Songs (Disney Junior)
Executive Producer: Chris Hamilton
Co-Executive Producer: Elise Fachon
Producer: Greg Chalekian
Director: Henry Dalton
Produced by: OddBot Inc. in association with Disney Junior

These musical shorts for preschoolers celebrate the heritage of Disney with classic characters and songs from beloved movies, series and attractions that highlight the wonder and magic of the iconic brand. Performed by popular musical artists Rob Cantor and Genevieve Goings (Disney Junior Nursery Rhymes), the shorts feature reimagined versions of classic songs, including “Circle of Life” from “The Lion King,” “You Can Fly!” from “Peter Pan,” “How Far I’ll Go” from “Moana” and “It’s A Small World.” The shorts will begin airing on Disney Junior and Disney+ in the U.S. this summer as part of Disney’s 100-year anniversary celebration.

Series Renewals
Disney EMEA

Chip ‘N’ Dale: Park Life New Episodes (Disney+)
Producer: Marc du Pontavice
Directors: Jean Cayrol, Frédéric Martin, Khalil Ben Namaane
Head Writer: Nicole Paglia
Produced by: Xilam Animation for Disney EMEA

Chip ‘n’ Dale: Park Life stars Disney’s much-loved chipmunk underdogs in a nonverbal, classic-style comedy, following the ups and downs of two little creatures living life in a big city park. Combining the traditions of slapstick cartoons with contemporary, comedic character-driven narratives, season two introduces huge new adventures for the two tiny troublemakers. Nervous worrier Chip and laid-back dreamer Dale are joined in their perpetual pursuit of acorns by Donald, Pluto, Butch and other iconic Disney characters as they face down bullies, great and small.

Disney Branded Television

Marvel’s Spidey and His Amazing Friends Season 4 (Disney Junior)
Executive Producer: Harrison Wilcox
Co-Executive Producers: Bart Jennett and Chris Moreno
Co-Producer/Story Editor: Becca Topol
Supervising Producer: Steve Grover
Produced by: Disney Junior and Marvel Studios in association with Atomic Cartoons

The first full-length Marvel series for preschoolers, Marvel’s Spidey and His Amazing Friends follows the adventures of Peter Parker, Gwen Stacy and Miles Morales as they team up with Iron Man, Hulk, Ms. Marvel and Black Panther to defeat foes like Rhino, Doc Ock and Green Goblin and learn that teamwork is the best way to save the day. Season four of the hit series will once again introduce even more new heroes and baddies for the Spidey team to interact with and be part of their adventures.

Firebuds Season 3 (Disney Junior)
Creator/Executive Producer: Craig Gerber
Producer: Craig Simpson
Supervising Director: Robb Pratt
Co-Story Editors: Krystal Banzon and Jeremy Shipp
Produced by: Disney Television Animation

From Emmy Award-winning creator and executive producer Craig Gerber (Elena of Avalor, Sofia the First), Firebuds is a music-filled series following a team of young kids who are the children of first responders, and their talking vehicle sidekicks, as they embark on adventures together and learn what it truly means to be a hero. Season three of the series will feature a water rescue theme.

The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder Season 3 (Disney+)
Creator/Executive Producer: Bruce W. Smith
Executive Producer: Ralph Farquhar
Co-Executive Producer/Story Editor: Calvin Brown, Jr.
Co-Executive Producer: Latoya Raveneau
Producer: Jan Hirota
Produced by: Disney Television Animation

The Emmy and NAACP Award-winning The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder revival follows the adventures and misadventures of 14-year-old Penny Proud and her Proud Family as they navigate modern life with hilarity and heart. The 2020s bring new career highs for mom Trudy, wilder dreams for dad Oscar and new challenges for Penny. Penny’s friends return, including Dijonay, LaCienega, Zoey and Michael, along with a couple of new faces, Maya and KG. Penny’s Suga Mama also returns, ready as ever to dispense tough love or a gentle hand whenever Penny needs it.

Kiff Season 2 (Disney Channel)
Creators/Executive Producers: Lucy Heavens and Nic Smal
Co-Producer/Story Editor: Kent Osborne
Producer: Winnie Chaffee
Produced by: Titmouse in association with Disney Channel

From South African creators and executive producers Lucy Heavens and Nic Smal, Kiff follows an optimistic squirrel, Kiff, and her chill bunny bestie, Barry, as they navigate school, relationships and their often-eccentric community in Table Town, a world where animals and magical oddballs tackle day-to-day life together. Inspired by the people and places Heavens and Smal experienced when they were growing up in Cape Town, each half-hour episode, comprised of two 11-minute stories, includes a new original song.

News Shorts: The New Series SuperKitties Makes Its Highly Anticipated Debut On Disney Junior Africa Alongside Hamster And Gretel On Disney Channel Africa, My Desire Shortened To 30 Minutes This June In Favour Of Timeless Love And History Channel To Cease Transmission In Russia

More kiddies entertainment for DStv customers

SUPERKITTIES
FROM 1 JUNE AT 08:00
DISNEY JUNIOR
Ginny, Sparks, Buddy and Bitsy are not only cute and cuddly kittens, but are also brave, smart, strong and kind, and turn into SuperKitties when trouble arises.

HAMSTER & GRETEL
FROM 16 JUNE AT 15:15
DISNEY CHANNEL
Gifted with amazing superpowers, Gretel and her pet hamster decide to join hands with her teenage brother to protect their city from evil supervillains.

My Desire to lose a half hour

As mentioned earlier in the year, Star Life has halved most of their primetime series with Lost In Love and Anupama currently on air for 30 minutes (21 minutes if you're avoiding the ads). Reason being they want to these soaps to collide with the current offering in India.

During the month, Star Life unveiled the Star Bharat original, Timeless Love (Na Umra Ki Seema Ho) a story about a couple with an age gap who have to fight tooth and nail in order to be together.

As seen through an updated programme guide, Timeless Love will air for an hour (42 minutes if you're avoiding ads) from June 1st to June 4th at 19:30 to 20:30 meaning My Desire will be getting the short end of the stick in a 30 minute timeslot.

History is the next international channel to depart Russia

Following Russia's invasion to the Ukraine, several international outlets such as The Walt Disney Company, Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery had opted to retract their services within the region with Russia Today being phased out from international outlets.

A+E Networks, being one of the few international outlets to offer their services within the regions with History and H2 had announced their termination across Bulgaria with H2 that went dark during the week with History expected to follow by the end of June.

History is still available in Italy, Portugal, Germany, Spain, UK and Ireland, Asia, India and South Africa.

What To Expect On Disney Africa Channels In May 2023?

Disney Channel:

Villains Of Valley View
17 May at 17:50
Furious about insulting her family, Amy attacks Onyx, the leader of the supervillains. In an attempt to save themselves, Amy and her family live concealed in a Texas town.

It is available on DStv channel 303

Disney Junior:

Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures
4 May at 8:00
Jedi younglings study the ways of the Force, explore the galaxy, help citizens and creatures in need, and learn valuable skills needed to become Jedi along the way.

It is available on DStv channel 309.

Disney+ And Disney Junior Announce Release Date And Additional Key Cast For “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures”

Disney+, Disney Junior, and Lucasfilm has announced that “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” will premiere on Disney+ and Disney Junior (DStv channel 309) on May 4, 2023. Set during The High Republic era, the animated series follows Jedi younglings as they study the ways of the Force, explore the galaxy, help citizens and creatures in need, and learn valuable skills needed to become Jedi along the way. 

Disney+ and Lucasfilm also released two stills from the series, which include Master Yoda, Jedi younglings Kai, Lys, and Nubs, and their friends Nash and RJ-83 on planet Tenoo. The second image shows Lys, Kai, and Nubs during a training sequence.

Produced by Lucasfilm for Disney+ and Disney Junior, “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” is executive produced by Lucasfilm’s James Waugh, Jacqui Lopez, and Josh Rimes. Michael Olson (“Puppy Dog Pals”) is showrunner and executive producer; Elliot M. Bour (“Elena of Avalor”) is supervising director and co-producer; Jeannine Hodson (“Puppy Dog Pals”) is producer; and Lamont Magee (“Black Lightning”) is consulting producer.

Insidus Games:
- Lizzie McGuire: On The Go!
- Tinkerbell
- Spy Muppets: Licence To Croak
- Winnie The Pooh: Hunny Trouble

“‘Star Wars’ transcends generations; fans of all ages deeply connect with its imaginative worlds, mythic stories, and unique characters,” says James Waugh, “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” executive producer and Senior Vice President Franchise Content & Strategy at Lucasfilm. “When developing ‘Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures,’ the first ‘Star Wars’ series created for preschoolers, the creative team never stopped thinking about how this show may be a ‘youngling’s’ first step into a larger world and their first time experiencing the limitless potential of the ‘Star Wars’ galaxy. The show’s characters, tone, and the life lessons woven throughout each episode were written just for them, and our talented team was committed to honoring the cinematic legacy while staying true to the expectations of parents for the youngest of audiences.”

Alyssa Sapire, Senior Vice President, Development, Series, Strategy, Disney Junior: “Our collaboration with Lucasfilm on this series is an amazing opportunity to introduce this universally cherished franchise to a younger generation. As an early entry point into ‘Star Wars,’ we have created a series with exciting new and familiar characters and storylines that highlight the values of compassion, teamwork, and friendship, which are important elements for all of our Disney Junior programming.”

“Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” stars Jamaal Avery, Jr. as Kai Brightstar, Juliet Donenfeld as Lys Solay, Dee Bradley Baker as Nubs, Emma Berman as Nash Durango, Jonathan Lipow as RJ-83, and Piotr Michael as Master Yoda.

“Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” will debut on Disney+ and Disney Junior on May 4, 2023.

Regular Nick:
- Lego Monkie Kid returns this April on Cartoon Network
- Cartoonito to get a dedicated channel in France
- Da Vinci Kids plans co-viewing future
- PBS Kids has yet to rollout the new logo in other countries

Roundups #134: Hamster & Gretel And Eureka To Make Its African Debut On Disney Channel And Disney Junior, Verdeelde Liefde Returns For A Second Season On eExtra And Netflix To Crack Down On Password Sharing By March

Here are the four developments launching on Disney Channel and Disney Junior respectively

Vikingskool (New Episodes) - February 6th
Erik, Ylva and Ani are budding Vikings, confident that they all have what it takes to succeed in the ruthless Vikingskøøl, but the road to graduation is long.

Hamster & Gretel (New Series) - February 13th
When Gretel and her pet hamster -- named Hamster -- get superpowers, older brother Kevin must work with them to figure out how to protect their city from mysterious dangers.

Mickey Mouse Funhouse (New Episodes) - February 6th
Mickey, Minnie and Funny go on an adventure to the Kingdom of Majestica, where they find out if dragons are friendly beings or not.

Eureka (Girls In Science) - February 11th
It follows a talented young inventor from a fantastical prehistoric world who uses her creative thinking to devise inventions and contraptions aimed at making the world a better place.

Regular Nick:
- The Twisted Timeline Of Sammy And Raj to rollout on Nicktoons in Africa
- Moonbug Kids To Distribute New STEAM Focused Series, Ocean Explorers
- New Bear Grylls series is coming soon to Da Vinci Kids

Zeynep and Mehdi are back for drama on eExtra

Verdeelde Liefde follows the life of Zeynep a young woman whose mother gave her up for adoption in order to have a better life following her brother's death. By fate, she meets Mehdi who at one point from monster become the love of life.

The first season stars Demet Özdemir, Zuhal Gencer, Senan Kara, Fatih Koyunoglu, Elif Sönmez, Hülya Duyar, Naz Göktan, Incinur Dasdemir and Ibrahim Celikkol.

Season 1 is set to reach its climax by the end of the month with season 2 following immediately after the first season.

In season 2, Özlem accuses Sultan of stealing the money in Baris's room. Savas admits he took the money. Ali Riza gathers his family and goes to Sultan's house to apologize. Sultan accepts getting back to work.

Openview Plus:
- Imbewu has been cancelled on e.tv after 5 seasons
- Reviewing major changes coming soon to the SABC
- A look at former NBC soap, Passions

Farewell to password sharing on Netflix

The time Netflix 'freeloaders' have long feared will soon arrive - password sharing will be banned by the end of March.

The company shared the news in a letter to shareholders, noting that 'widespread account sharing' has exceeded over 100 million viewers.

These individuals, however, will be able to transfer their profiles to a new paid account, allowing them to carry over their preferences.

Netflix said 2022 had been a 'tough year' due to its first subscriber loss in more than a decade - its customer base fell by 200,000 subscribers in the first quarter.

'Today's widespread account sharing undermines our long-term ability to invest in and improve Netflix, as well as build our business.' the company said in its letter.

'While our terms of use limit use of Netflix to a household, we recognize this is a change for members who share their account more broadly.'

YouTube Premium:
- Zoey 102 feature film is coming to Paramount+
- Dungeons And Dragons TV series is coming to Paramount+
- How to view the latest content on PBS Kids?

List: 2023 In Terms Of Animation

Netflix:

Make My Day
Tomb Raider
Onmyōji
Untitled Asterix Animated Series
Boons and Curses
Little Baby Bum: Music Time
Mech Cadets
Princess Power
Akuma-Kun
CoComelon Lane
My Dad the Bounty Hunter
Dew Drop Dairies
Not Quite Narwhal
Exploding Kittens

HBO Max, Cartoon Network and Cartoonito:

Jade Armor
Velma
Bugs Bunny Builders
Batwheels
Clone High
Bea's Block
Goat Girl
Tiny Toons Looniversity
S.M.A.S.H.
Bea's Block
Gremlins: Secrets Of Mogwai
Batman: Caped Crusader
Hurry Hurry Tom And Jerry
Young Love
Scavengers Reign
Tom And Jerry Time
Unlimited Squirrels!
Iyanu: Child Of Wonder
Spookies
My Adventures With Superman
Silly Sundays
The Heroic Quest of the Valiant Prince Ivandoe
Totally Spies!
Jessica's Big Little World

Insidus Games:
- Tom And Jerry: Infurnal Escape
- Tom And Jerry: The Magic Ring
- Captain America: Sentinel Of Liberty
- The Wild Thornberrys Movie
- The Wild Thornberrys: Chimp Chase

Disney+, Disney Channel and Disney Junior:

Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures
Tiana
Win Or Lose
Kiya And The Kimoja Heroes
Duffy And Friends
Pretty Freekin Scary
Monsters At Work
SuperKitties
Primos
Hamster And Gretel
Marvel's Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur
Hailey's On It
X-Men '97'
Kiff
Iwájú
Hailey's On It
Pupstruction

Paramount+, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and Nick Jr:

HexVet
Dora The Explorer
Bossy Bear
Two South Park Films
Rock, Paper, Scissors
Max & the Midknights
Rubble & Crew
Hamsterdale
Zokie Sparkleby

Insidus Games:
- Johnny Bravo: Big Babe Adventure
- Lego Star Wars
- Trace On
- The Lion King
- Garfield 2: Royal Adventure
- Legend Of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse

CBeebies, BBC Kids, CBBC and BritBox:

Dentist
Ginger and the Vegesaurs
Lellobee City Farm
Vida the Vet

PBS Kids:

Work It Out Wombats!
Mashopolis
Alma's Way
Rosie's Rules

Others including DreamWorks, Peacock and eToonz:

Calliou
Krapopolis
Lil' Stompers
Lego Monkie Kid
Grimsburg
Koala Man
Team Mekbots Animal Rescue
Abominable and the Invisible City
Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight
The Boss Baby: Back in the Crib
Pinecone & Pony
Team Zenko Go
DreamWorks Dragons: The Nine Realms
The Croods: Family Tree
She-Ra And The Princesses Of Power
Doug Unplugs
Trollstopia
Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts
Wizards: Tales of Arcadia

What To Expect On Disney Junior Africa In January 2023?

MIRA: ROYAL DETECTIVE
NEW EPISODES
STARTS 17 DECEMBER
Appointed to the role of royal detective by the queen of Jalpur, a resourceful commoner named Mira sets out on mystery-solving adventures along with her friend Prince Neel, creative cousin Priya, and comical mongoose sidekicks Mikku and Chikku.

MICKEY MOUSE: WISH UPON A CHRISTMAS
HOLIDAY STUNT
After a series of mishaps, Mickey, Minnie, and the gang are separated all over the world and must try to get back to Hot Dog Hills by Christmas Eve. A mysterious and jolly stranger shows up to tell them about the Wishing Star, which could be the secret to bringing everybody home in time to celebrate together.

Insidus Games:
- Garfield 2: Royal Adventure
- Johnny Bravo: Big Babe Adventure
- Nicktoons: Freeze Frame Frenzy
- Donald Duck's Quest 2
- The Muppets! On With The Show
- James Bond Nightfire

BLUEY
PROGRAMMING STUNT
STARTS 2 JANUARY

T.O.T.S.
NEW EPISODES
STARTS 14 JANUARY
A penguin and a flamingo respectively work at the Tiny Ones Transport Service, where they deliver newborn baby animals and birds to their parents.

MICKEY MOUSE FUNHOUSE
NEW EPISODES + MINNIE & DAISY EVENT
STARTS 21 JANUARY
Mickey, Minnie and Funny go on an adventure to the Kingdom of Majestica, where they find out if dragons are friendly beings or not.

Regular Nick:
- Craig Of The Creek has been cancelled on Cartoon Network
- Barbie: It Takes Two and Thomas And Friends: All Engines Go! coming soon to eToonz
- 35 facts you didn't know about these Dragonball instalments
- A list of scrapped spinoffs for The Simpsons
- The concept of Cartoonito and Boomerang (review)
- Tom And Jerry In New York cancelled on HBO Max after one season

Roundups #113: Moonbug Kids' Blippi Expands Its Universe With New Content, Disney Junior Greenlit Two New Animated Series And Garbage Boy And Trash Can Still In Development On Cartoon Network

Blippi expands its universe

Moonbug Entertainment is double-dipping into the world of Blippi, with a new franchise plan for his TV pal and co-host Meekah.

First up is a 28-episode live-action series based on the Blippi format of travel and education that’s airing now on AVOD platform HappyKids, and will go wide in December on Netflix. The series also features Move with Meekah, a segment in which the titular character learns about movement with Olympian Shawn Johnson joining as a celebrity guest.

But the real push will be in L&M. Moonbug is building a consumer products program around the bubbly character, working with existing Blippi licensees including Florida-based toyco Jazwares, which will launch a Meekah doll next year. The company has also partnered with Disguise for Halloween costumes that are due out in fall 2023, and with Amazon, which will sell signature purple-and-yellow Meekah T-shirts starting in December.

Sofia The First is getting more content

In honor of Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess 10th Anniversary, Disney Branded Television has announced two new Disney Junior shows on development from Electric Emu and Craig Gerber as part of his overall development deal, one of the projects expands the Enchantia-verse with a Sofia The First spin-off.

Dusty Dupree:

Revealed a year ago under Untitled Time Traveler Treasure Hunter, Dusty Dupree; follows Dusty a time-traveling treasure hunter who recovers lost family treasures.

Dusty Dupree is created by Kris Wimberly (Firebuds, Elena Of Avalor, SmokeScreen Productions) with Craig Gerber and Wimberly as Executive Producers with Disney Television Animation and Electric Emu Productions as production studios.

Royal Prep Academy (Working Title):

In this Sofia The First Spin-Off follows a new generation of princesses and princes attending the Royal Prep Academy, a school for princes and princesses in the fictional kingdom of Enchancia.

The series created and EP by Craig Gerber with Disney Television Animation and Electric Emu Productions as production studios.

GBATC creator provides an update

During the year, Warner Bros. Discovery had been making some radical changes to their portfolio which has led to several cancellations of content and a decline in review part of which had an affect on Cartoon Network Africa's upcoming show, Garbage And Trash Can.

Created by Moshod Shades Ridwan in partnership with African Animation Network follows,the comedy-driven toon is about a boy with imaginary superpowers who fights for justice with his trusty sidekick. Moshood was inspired to create the series by his experience being bullied in school. 

The series was slated to debut by the end of the year but I wouldn't be shocked if it was delayed for 2023 considering the reshuffle going on with the parent company either way the show is said to have almost wrapped production.

Hasbro To Sell eOne TV, But Keep Family Brands

In a development that many saw coming, Hasbro has announced today that it’s initiating a sale process for eOne’s library and adult-skewing scripted and unscripted content businesses.

“As we execute Blueprint 2.0 [link] with a focus on strategic investment in key franchise brands like D&D, Peppa Pig and Transformers, we plan to expand our entertainment offerings across scripted TV, digital shorts and blockbuster films,” said CEO Chris Cocks in a statement.

Olivier Dumont, president of kids and family brands at eOne, has confirmed to Kidscreen that his division will not be affected by the sale. The eOne Family Brands portfolio includes high-performing IPs such as PJ Masks, Power Rangers and preschool series Ricky Zoom. PJ Masks, in particular, has a robust Hasbro-branded consumer products program spanning toys, playsets and costumes, as well as a broad range of licensed products from category-leading partners.

Assets that are for sale include eOne’s library content, unscripted series and non-Hasbro scripted series and films, as well as Hasbro’s stake in eOne’s film and TV distribution business.

The announcement builds on Hasbro’s most recent investment call, in which the company introduced a strategy to lean on its legacy IPs for brand-building, while using eOne’s studio capabilities to develop new ones like Kiya. In February, Hasbro hired Ruedilyn Cox as VP of global franchise strategy and management for this fledging TV-driven IP that centers around a young superhero and her best friends.

“The company plans to maintain significant development, production and financing capabilities to support its core brands across film, TV, animation and digital shorts,” according to Hasbro’s investor statement, which notes that its entertainment team will continue to operate under the eOne production banner until—and if—a sale is completed.

Hasbro Considering Selling Or Restructuring Its Assets

When Hasbro bought eOne under former CEO and Chairman Brian Goldner, who died unexpectedly last fall, the company was getting both valuable new intellectual properties — including PJ Masks and Peppa Pig — of benefit to its toy business, as well as knowhow in producing entertainment, giving the company a direct channel to cashing in from media made out of its own properties.

“The acquisition of eOne adds beloved story-led global family brands that deliver strong operating returns to Hasbro’s portfolio and provides a pipeline of new brand creation driven by family-oriented storytelling, which will now include Hasbro’s IP,” Goldner explained in a press release at the time. “In addition, Hasbro will leverage eOne’s immersive entertainment capabilities to bring our portfolio of brands … to all screens globally and realize full franchise economics across our blueprint strategy for shareholders.”

With the acquisition, Hasbro’s entertainment revenue jumped from $77.8 million in 2019 to more than $900 million in 2020 and topped $1.1 billion in 2021. The last two years have also brought operating losses in the entertainment division, in part from acquisition costs related to eOne. Hasbro, as Shaw noted, also ran into the disruption to the film and television industry created by the pandemic.

Under new CEO Chris Cocks, Hasbro launched a comprehensive review of its strategy and operations earlier this year as it looks to grow operating profit and focus on multi-generation entertainment.  

A Hasbro spokesperson did not comment specifically on the details of the Bloomberg report. “Entertainment is a core foundation at Hasbro,” the company said in an emailed statement. “As part of our strategic review process, we are always open to new and better ways to tell stories and bring people together through the power [of] play via our world-class family of brands.”

In April, Hasbro sold off one major asset from eOne — its music business — for $385 million.

Hasbro this year fended off a brush with activist investment firm Alta Fox, which had put forward a slate of three directors of its choosing to replace some current members of Hasbro’s board. Alta Fox pushed Hasbro to spin off its valuable Wizards of the Coast game business.

The activist firm also took a shot at eOne, saying in February that the acquisition “diluted Hasbro’s shareholders, added a substantial amount of debt to the balance sheet, complicated the investor narrative and destroyed significant value.”

 

New Series Alert: Eureka Coming Soon To Disney Junior Africa Alongside A Brand New Season Of Raven's Home On Disney Channel Africa - September 2022 Highlights (Final Version)

DISNEY CHANNEL
                    
AMPHIBIA
NEW EPISODES
Monday - Friday from 5th September at 17:50

The third season began with Anne and the Plantars transported from Amphibia to Anne’s hometown of Los Angeles where the frog family had to learn about the modern world and try to find a way home – all while hiding their identities as talking frog people.
In one of the new episodes of Season 3, “The Root of Evil” – Anne and the Plantars get stuck in a strange village of plant lovers.
Then in “The Core & the King” – King Andrias confronts the demons of his past.
Catch the new episodes of Amphibia on Monday, 5th September at 17:50 on Disney Channel.

Raven’s Home
Season 5 Premiere
Monday – Thursday from 12th September at 17:00

Season 5 of Raven’s Home kicks off with Raven taking a trip to San Francisco. When Raven’s father, Victor, has a health scare, Raven and Booker return to San Francisco to help him. Booker fails to babysit his cousin and must fix things before Raven finds out.
Then Booker realizes he likes San Francisco and decides to stay a while.
Watch Season 5 premiere episodes of Raven’s Home from Monday, 12th September at 17:00 on Disney Channel

DISNEY JUNIOR

EUREKA!
Series Premiere
Saturday & Sunday from 10th September at 12:00
Brand-new adventures with Disney Junior’s inventor Eureka.

Meet Eureka, an 8-year-old girl who lives in the village of Rocky Falls, a fun place where both dinosaurs and humans live. Eureka is an inventor who uses her imagination to make new inventions, With the help of her best friends Barry, Pepper, Murphy the Mammoth and Dipply the Dinosaur. Eureka is always thinking up new ideas on how to solve problems in fun, new inventive ways!
In the first of the season episodes “Tusks, Trouble and All” (Saturday, 10 September) – Eureka and her friends, Pepper and Barry, free a woolly mammoth.
Then in “Absoflutely Fabulous” – Eureka tries to befriend a flute player in her class by inventing a new flute.
Catch episodes of new series Eureka! On 10th September at 12:00 on Disney Junior

PJ MASKS
New Episodes
Monday to Friday from 5th September at 10:00
Brand-new episodes of Season 5 with everyone’s favourite crime-fighters, the PJ Masks.
In the first of the new episodes, Mystery Mountain breaks out of its dimension and floats over the city. Meanwhile Romeo challenges Carly and Cartoka to a race,
but it’s all part of a sneaky plan to steal speed crystals stranded in the middle of nowhere. Will they be able to be back on time?
New Episodes of PJ Masks on 5th September at 10:00 on Disney Junior

THE CHICKEN SQUAD
New episodes
Monday to Friday from 12th September at 14:00

Inspired by Doreen Cronin’s popular children’s books, “The Chicken Squad” follows a trio of young chicken siblings—Coop, Sweetie and Little Boo—and their retired search and rescue dog mentor, Captain Tully, as they team up on problem-solving adventures in their backyard to help their animal friends.
In the first of the new episodes, when Captain Tully goes missing, the Squad goes on a quest to find their mentor.
After the Fire Chickens rescue the Chicken Squad, the Squad is eager to find a way to help them in return
Find new episodes of The Chicken Squad on 12th September at 14:00 on Disney Junior
 
ALICE’S WONDERLAND BAKERY
Programming Stunt
Monday to Friday from 19th September at 18:30
Find all your favourite episodes of Alice’s Wonderland Bakery
Alice, the great-granddaughter of the original heroine and a budding young baker at the enchanted Wonderland Bakery, each episode features two 11-minute stories about Alice’s recipe adventures with her best pals—Fergie, a white rabbit; Hattie, her madcap friend; and Rosa, the Princess of Hearts.
Season 1 episodes of Alice’s Wonderland Bakery on 19th September at 18:30 on Disney Junior

DOC MCSTUFFINS
10th Anniversary Celebration
Monday to Friday from 26th September at 18:00
“Doc McStuffins” premiered in March 2012 and since then has become one of the most beloved preschool television properties of all time. It tells the story of a young girl who aspires to be a doctor like her mom and communicates with and heals broken toys and stuffed animals.
Each episode follows Doc and her much-loved stuffed animal friends Stuffy, Lambie, Hallie and Chilly as they diagnose and nurture a toy in need.
Catch episodes of Doc McStuffins from 26th September at 18:00 on Disney Junior

 

New Series Alert: Eureka Coming Soon To Disney Junior Africa Alongside A Brand New Season Of Raven's Home On Disney Channel Africa - September 2022 Highlights (Drafted Version)

Disney Channel:

Amphibia
Weekdays from 5 September at 17:50
In the final season, Anne and the Plantars are transported to Anne's home in the suburbs of East Los Angeles. Anne must now help the frog family adjust to the human world and keep their identities a secret while searching for a way to return to Amphibia and stop Andrias's invasion of the Multiverse.

Raven's Home S5
Weekdays from 13 September at 17:00
In the fifth season, Raven and Booker temporarily relocate to Raven's hometown of San Francisco to care for Raven's father Victor after he suffers a mild heart attack. While Raven tries to get her father back in shape, Booker must navigate his mother's old school with the help of some new friends and his younger cousin Alice.

Disney Junior:

PJ Masks
Weekdays from 5 September at 10:00
Amaya, Greg, and Connor become the superhero team PJ Masks when night falls in order to fight enemies and rivals such as Romeo, Luna Girl, Night Ninja, The Wolfy Kids, Motsuki, Octobella, Pharaoh Boy, Munki-gu, Orticia, Pirate Robot, and The Speedy Twins to keep them from ruining people's days. Amaya becomes Owlette (an owl), Greg becomes Gekko (a lizard), and Connor becomes Catboy (a cat).

Eureka
Weekends from 10 September at 12:00
Set in the Stone Age within the location of Rocky Falls, the series follows the eponymous girl Eureka who enjoys going on adventures and building gadgets.

 

A Look At Returning Favourites On Disney Channel And Junior Africa - August 2022 Highlights

Disney Channel:

GHOSTFORCE
NEW EPISODES
Monday - Friday from 8th August at 15:15
 
Catch brand-new Season 2 episodes of Ghost Force with Liv, Andy and Mike who secretly formed a team of superheroes, to fight against the ghosts wreaking havoc in New York and using fear to increase their powers.

In the first of the new episodes, Andy offers to watch Prof Pascal’s dog, Asta. But, preferring to go to a basketball game after all, he leaves the dog unattended in Miss Jones’s lab … Soon, Asta awakens Scream Scratch, a prankster ghost that has many tricks up its sleeve and goes after Mike’s father. Mike doesn’t dare to ask Charlie to be his date for a party at school, for he’s scared he’ll look ridiculous dancing. While fighting Creepop, a ghost that forces New Yorkers to dance relentlessly, Mike will understand that ridicule doesn’t matter as long as you have fun

Catch the new episodes of Ghost Force on Monday, 8th August at 15:15 on Disney Channel.

The Owl House
NEW EPISODES
Monday – Thursday from 15th August at 17:50

“The Owl House” follows Luz, a self-assured teenage girl who stumbles upon a portal to a magical realm where she befriends a rebellious witch, Eda, and a tiny warrior, King. Despite not having magical abilities, Luz pursues her dream of becoming a witch by serving as Eda’s apprentice at the Owl House and ultimately finds a new family in an unlikely setting.        

In the first of the new episodes, Luz takes on daring rescue missions during the Coven Day Parade, in the aftermath of her trip home.

Watch Season 2 new episodes of The Owl House from Monday, 15th August at 17:50 on Disney Channel.

Disney Junior:

MIRA, ROYAL DETECTIVE                             
NEW EPISODES                                                  
Saturday and Sunday from 2nd July at 17:30

Inspired by the cultures and customs of India, the series follows the brave and resourceful Mira, a young girl who travels throughout the fictional land of Jalpur solving mysteries for her friends, family and extended community.

Expect Bollywood-inspired brand-new special episodes from Season 2 that celebrate Bollywood music and dancing and centered around the Indian holidays of Holi and Diwali and an Eid al-Fitr.

In one of the new episodes, (The Mystery of the Legendary Sword) Mira and her friends embark on an epic quest to find a legendary sword said to belong to the rightful ruler of Jalpur.

Catch brand-new episodes of Mira, Royal Detective on 2nd July at 17:30 on Disney Junior

The Chicken Squad
New episodes
Monday to Friday from 11th July at 09:30
Brand-new episodes of everyone’s favourite squad returns to Disney Junior.

Inspired by Doreen Cronin’s popular children’s books, the series follows a trio of young chicken siblings—Coop, Sweetie and Little Boo—and their retired search and rescue dog mentor, Captain Tully. Together, they team up on problem-solving adventures in their backyard to help their animal friends, while modeling what it means to be good community helpers and finding the joy in assisting others. 

Play along with new episodes of The Chicken Squad on 11th July at 09:30 on Disney Junior

PJ MASKS
New episodes
Monday to Friday from 25th July at 12:30
Brand-new episodes of Season 5 episodes
During the day, Amaya, Connor and Greg lead totally normal lives, but they transform into superheroes Owelette, Catboy and Gekko during the night and use their powers to fight villains and solve mysteries.

This season has new villains and new problems to solve, but nothing is too big for the PJ Masks when they band together to fight the bad guys.

Catch all the action with new episodes of PJ Masks on 25th July at 12:30 on Disney Junior.

Roundups #76: The Boys Spinoff Gets Official Title, The Little Mermaid Preschool Series Is Rumoured To Be In Development And Nintendo To Launch Animation Studio

Gen Z is currently underway on Amazon Prime Video

Get your superhero suits ready and head on down to Vought International because Amazon’s college-based spinoff of “The Boys” has an official title: “Gen V.”

The title is a clever reference to today’s youthful Gen Z and the show’s super power-giving chemical known as compound V. Cast members announced the title in a new video shared on social media.

Set at America’s only college exclusively for young-adult superheroes (owned and operated by Vought International, of course), “Gen V” is “an irreverent, R-rated series that explores the lives of hormonal, competitive Supes as they put their physical, sexual and moral boundaries to the test, competing for the best contracts in the best cities,” per Prime Video. It’s part college show, part “Hunger Games” with the same raunchy satirical tone of “The Boys.”

 

The Little Mermaid is preschool

According to some new trademarks that have been listed, Disney Junior is also working on a new project, called “Ariel”, which is likely to be a new version of “The Little Mermaid” for pre-school ages.

There are a number of trademarks being applied for, including for entertainment services; education services; distribution services and production services.  In addition to trademarks for a large number of merchandise items, clothing, footwear and headwear.  In addition to paper products and non-medicated cosmetics.

Disney hasn’t officially announced that it is developing a new pre-school series, “Disney Junior Ariel”, but with the new live-action film and it being over 30 years since the original animated film was released, these trademark listings do indicate that Disney is planning a major new campaign of merchandise and entertainment services.

 

Nintendo becomes an animation studio

Nintendo has announced the acquisition of Dynamo Pictures, an animation studio in Tokyo that collaborated on several animated Pikmin shorts that premiered on the Nintendo 3DS. Renamed Nintendo Pictures, the studio will continue to work on the “development of visual content utilizing Nintendo IP,” according to the company’s press release.

“Nintendo has decided to acquire 100 percent of the outstanding shares (excluding treasury shares) of Dynamo Pictures and make it a wholly owned subsidiary to strengthen the planning and production structure of visual content in the Nintendo group.”

They have a working relationship with Illumination, the studio behind the popular Minions franchise. The animated Chris Pratt-led Super Mario Bros. movie spawned from that partnership will release in 2023, barring any future delays.

New Series Alert: The Highly Anticipated Series Vikingskool Launches On Disney Channel Africa With Several Preschool Favourites Making A Comeback To Disney Junior Africa

Disney Channel:

VIKINGSKOOL
PREMIERE
Monday - Friday from 4th July at 15:15

Erik, Ylva, and Arni hope they can survive Vikingskool. This tough-as-nails elite academy for Vikings is going to push them to their limits! Whether it's preparing for the deadly obstacle exam or questing up peaks for a mountain troll's nose hair, these new students must adapt to make it through skool and face the threats hidden deep in its past.

In the season premiere episode, when Hammerson announces that he is going to test all the students to make sure they belong at the school, Arni is worried that he will fail: he is not a warrior! On the other hand, he is cunning...

Catch the brand-new series premiere of Vikingskool on Monday, 4th July at 15:15 on
Disney Channel.

BIG CITY GREENS
SEASON PREMIERE
Monday – Thursday from 18th July at 18:15
          
All-new Season 3 premieres episodes

Follow the off-beat adventures of 10- year-old Cricket Green, a mischievous and optimistic country boy who moves to the big city with his wildly out of place family.

In one of the new episodes this season, The Greens prepare for their Halloween party, and Tilly feels bad for Bill, who’s disappointed by the poor yield of his small pumpkin patch. When they visit BigTech to make a produce delivery, Tilly secretly “borrows” Gwendolyn Zapp’s alien chemical compound to make Bill’s pumpkins grow bigger. At first, it works, making the pumpkins larger, but it also mutates them into bodysnatching alien monsters.

Watch Season 3 episodes of Big City Greens from Monday, 18th July at 18:15 on Disney Channel

 

Disney Junior:

MIRA, ROYAL DETECTIVE                      
NEW EPISODES                                    
Saturday and Sunday from 2nd July at 17:30

Inspired by the cultures and customs of India, the series follows the brave and resourceful Mira, a young girl who travels throughout the fictional land of Jalpur solving mysteries for her friends, family and extended community.

Expect Bollywood-inspired brand-new special episodes from Season 2 that celebrate Bollywood music and dancing and centered around the Indian holidays of Holi and Diwali and an Eid al-Fitr.

In one of the new episodes, (The Mystery of the Legendary Sword) Mira and her friends embark on an epic quest to find a legendary sword said to belong to the rightful ruler of Jalpur.

Catch brand-new episodes of Mira, Royal Detective on 2nd July at 17:30 on Disney Junior

The Chicken Squad
New episodes
Monday to Friday from 11th July at 09:30
Brand-new episodes of everyone’s favourite squad returns to Disney Junior
Inspired by Doreen Cronin’s popular children’s books, the series follows a trio of young chicken siblings—Coop, Sweetie and Little Boo—and their retired search and rescue dog mentor, Captain Tully. Together, they team up on problem-solving adventures in their backyard to help their animal friends, while modeling what it means to be good community helpers and finding the joy in assisting others. 

Play along with new episodes of The Chicken Squad on 11th July at 09:30 on Disney Junior

 

PJ MASKS
New episodes
Monday to Friday from 25th July at 12:30
Brand-new episodes of Season 5 episodes
During the day, Amaya, Connor and Greg lead totally normal lives, but they transform into superheroes Owelette, Catboy and Gekko during the night and use their powers to fight villains and solve mysteries.
This season has new villains and new problems to solve, but nothing is too big for the PJ Masks when they band together to fight the bad guys.
Catch all the action with new episodes of PJ Masks on 25th July at 12:30 on Disney Junior