***This article originally appeared in the Sept./Oct. ’22 issue of Animation Magazine (No. 323)***
Fans of the popular book series Press Start! by Thomas Flintham will be thrilled to know that Cyber Group Studios’ animated adaptation is on its way to becoming a reality. The hugely entertaining Scholastic series, which has sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide, follows the adventures of a brother and sister who are big fans of the fast-paced world of the Super Rabbit Boy video game series. When the siblings use their amazing gaming skills to win a super-secret experimental game controller, they discover they are able to play inside the game, their lives are flipped upside down as they go from being Super Rabbit Boy’s biggest fans to being Super Rabbit Boy’s best friends!
The upcoming show, which is set to debut on Peacock in early 2024, is developed by Scott Kraft (PAW Patrol), who is also the head writer and executive producer. Notably, the series’ lead characters Sunny and Rue are East Indian, and that is reflected by a diverse and authentic cast and writers room.
“Scott Kraft pitched an amazing take to adapt Thomas’s work,” says Cyber Group’s president and CEO Pierre Sissmann. “His vision really brings to life the wish-fulfillment of kids getting to go inside a video game world and going on adventures with their video game hero to battle big bad boss villains together. Scott’s take felt like a truly ‘metaverse’ experience for kids before people were even talking about the metaverse. We just intuitively knew that he had hit on something truly relevant for kids.”
Sissmann, who has launched numerous successful shows through the years, (Gigantosaurus, Taffy, Droners, 50/50 Heroes and Zou, to name a few recent ones) says he and his team loved Flintham’s books and were excited to bring their distinct, retro, 8-bit style illustrations into a 3D world. “Because the series features kids who go back and forth from the real world and video game world, Press Start! will feature two distinct visual styles: one that is beautiful but more traditional CG and the other that is video game-inspired and can be described as a mash-up influenced by the likes of Minecraft, LEGO and retro video games.”
“While we have seen video game-themed shows for older audiences and families, we haven’t seen any for the bridge audience,” SIssmann points out. “Accelerated by the pandemic, younger kids are engaging with video games more than ever and even socializing with friends via kid-friendly messaging apps and games. Like our heroes, real kids live in both the real world and these game worlds. So, we know video games are super-relevant to this age target. And the stories are at once relatable — with Sunny and Rue dealing with real-kid issues — and aspirational by seeing them express their issues through the lens of being digital heroes in a heightened video game world.”
A Winning Team
Sissmann says he loves working with the show’s creatives to bring this world to animated life. “Scott Kraft is the best, and we are also fortunate to work with French director Éric Cazes. And we have great, supportive partners at Peacock. Beyond that, we love the storytelling: each episode is full of heart and innovative, exciting and cinematic action. It’s going to thrill kids.”
When it comes to the overall global animation scene, Sissmann says he is optimistic that lots of great projects are being produced all around the world. “Of course, with all the consolidation in the business, we are all going to be challenged to find those unique but relevant stories that will continue to capture the hearts and minds of kids and families,” says the well-known industry veteran. “We are excited to be bringing shows like Press Start! and other similar high-quality projects to global audiences.”
Cyber Group Studios will bring Press Start! to the MIP Junior market this month (Oct. 15-16) at booth #R7-D22. The show will premiere on Peacock in early 2024. For more info, visit cybergroupstudios.com.
