+ Kids and family entertainment producer and rights management company Coolabi will produce a second season of its animated preschool series Poppy Cat. The 52 x 11 season will again be produced by Coolabi Productions and King Rollo Films, with commissioning broadcasters Nick Jr. (U.K. and Australia) and Sprout (U.S.). Cake is also confirmed as international distributor for the second season, set for delivery in Spring 2014. Season one of Poppy Cat has been sold to nearly 150 territories worldwide and is a top 10 rated show in the U.K., U.S., France and Poland. (www.poppycat.com).
+ Italy’s Gruppo Alcuni has signed a package deal with Hungary’s public service content provider MTVA for 156 episodes of animated series Pet Pals (52 x 13) and Leonardo (26 x 13) as well as feature film Pet Pals: Marco Polo’s Code to be broadcast on kids channel M2. The new deal will bring 52 new episodes of Pet Pals in 3D to the region–the show already broadcasts in numerous territories like the Baltic States, Indonesia, Spain and Russia. Season two of Leonardo in 3D is currently in production, with a Spring 2014 delivery date. (www.alcuni.it).
+ Jami Laes, executive VP of gaming at Finnish studio Rovio (creators of Angry Birds), and Naz Cuevas, senior VP of global licensing, will be presenting a keynote at Brand Licensing Europe (October 15-17). Titled “Angry Birds: How Rovio Disrupted the Entertainment Industry”, the keynote will take place in The Licensing Academy on October 15 at 1 p.m. The 52nd game released by the company, Angry Birds has become the number one paid app of all time since its launch three years ago. The game has also been supported by tie-ins like Angry Birds Star Wars and expanded into consumer products with books in 40 countries, theme parks, plush toys and more.
