Superprod Group

Last updated
Superprod Group
Founded2010;15 years ago (2010)
Founders
  • Clément Calvet
  • Jérémie Fajner
Headquarters,
France
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
  • Clément Calvet (President & CEO)
  • Jérémie Fajner (Managing Director)
Divisions
  • Superprod Animation
  • Superprod Drama
  • Superprod Films
  • Superprod Impact
Subsidiaries
  • 440HZ Music
  • Kids First Digital
  • Melusine Productions
  • Red Monk Studio
  • Superights Kids & Family
  • The Co-Produciton Company
  • Watch Next Media
  • Wheel in Motion
Website www.superprod.net/en

Superprod Group is a French independent audiovisual production company that was founded in 2010 that develops, produces, and distributes animated & live action series and films under their division and subsidiaries. Their main animation production division that is part of the group was Superprod Animation who produce traditional, CGI and hybrid projects.

Contents

History

Superprod Group was founded in 2010 originally as an animation production studio after former Alphanim (now Gaumont Animation) CEOs and executives Clément Calvet and Jérémie Fajner had left Alphanim after it was acquired by film & television production and distribution company Gaumont two years before.

On May 7, 2013, Superprod Animation entered the distribution business by teaming up with investment firm Axone Invest to launch Superprod's own in-house international distribution division dedicated to distributing animation and live-action content named Superights Family Entertainment with Superprod's founders Clément Calvet and Jérémie Fajner managing Superprod's new distribution sales division alongside former M6 head of children's programming Morgann Favennec joining Superights as their head director of sales & acquisitions. [1] [2]

In September 2015, Superprod Animation expanded outside of their Paris-based animation studio by opening an animation production studio based in Angoulême to expand their animation production activities. [3]

In February 2018, Superprod Group entered the American animation production market by establishing an US office based in Los Angeles to expand their international outfit with Superprod's former CFO Louise de Staël heading their new animation office [4]

In June 2018 two years after Superprod Group acquired CGI animation production company Vanilla Seed, Superprod Group rebranded its Angoulême-based animation studio Vanilla Seed to Superprod Studio, reflecting their parent company's name for the rebranded Angoulême animation studio with the studio will handle all of Superprod's CGI productions. [5]

In February 2021, Superprod Group announced that they've taken a majority stake in Milan-based Italian animation studio Red Monk Studio, marking Superprod's entry into the Italian animation production business with Red Monk Studio continued operating as a separate label from Superprod alongside its founders Lucia Geraldine Scott and Corrado Diodà which remained CEOs of the acquired company with former international sales manager of Superprod's division Superights Pedro Citaristi became managing director of Red Monk as part of the acquisition. [6]

In late-September 2022, Superprod Group acquired New York-based American international production company The Co-Production Company to booster their American development and production activities with its founder Doug Schwalbe became president of Superprod's new American division Superprod US alongside former Cartoon Network executive Tatiana Krokar became the vice president of Superprod's American division. [7]

In January 2023, Superprod Group announced that they've opened a new animation building in that same location as their expansion to its Angoulême-based production studio division Superprod Studio and their own Angoulême-based animation production studio along with the company developing their new pipeline deplay named 'Pipeline Flow' becoming the first European animation studio to use it based on Pixar's USD technology. [8]

In December 2023, Superprod Group launched the 360 degree CSR policy division named Superprod Impact with a focus that aims its commitment to eco-responsibility to the French animation ecosystem that is provided by the France 2030 investment. [9]

In April 2024, Superprod Group acquired Luxembourgish animation production studios Melusine Productions and Studio 352 (who had previously produced Song of the Sea with Superprod) to strengthen their animation production activities and their ability to produce and finance their animated series & feature films, marking Superprod's expansion into the Luxembourg production activities with Melusine founder Stephan Roelants continuing to lead Melusine under Superprod. [10]

Two months later in June of that same year following Superprod's acquisition of Luxembourg animation productions studios Melusine Productions and Studio 352, Superprod announced their entry into the British production activities by teaming up with former Netflix EMEA & Nickelodeon International executive Alexi Wheeler who was attending the French 2024 Annecy International Animated Film Festival at that time to launch a UK-based live-action & animation production subsidiary named Wheel In Motion, giving Superprod a British production subsidiary with the new subsidiary will focus on its live-action and animated projects. [11]

In February 2025 following Superprod Group's partnership with Watch Next Media back in October 2024 four months ago, Superprod Group under their distribution subsidiary Superights Kids & Family and Watch Next Media through its distribution arm Kids First Distribution announced a strategic merger of their own distribution catalogues and digital channels with Watch Next Media's production catalogue joining the catalogue of Superprod's own distribution subsidiary Superights became the biggest international distributor of children's programs as Watch Next's distribution subsidiary Kids First Distribution was renamed to Kids First Digital now focusing on their digital publishing activities with Superights will distribute Watch Next Media's future productions. [12]

Filmography

TV series

TitleYearsNetworkNotes
Geronimo Stilton [13] 2009–2017 M6/France 5
Rai 2 & Rai Gulp (Italy)
inherited from MoonScoop
co-production with Atlantyca Entertainment and Rai Fiction
The New Adventures of Lassie [14] [15] [16] 2014–2020 TF1
ZDF (Germany)
co-production with Classic Media, ZDF Enterprises and DQ Entertainment (season 1)
Co-owned with ZDF Studios
Pat the Dog 2017–2021 Télétoon+ & Canal+ Family/France 4 & Disney Channel France
Rai Gulp (Italy)
co-production with Animoka Studios, Grid Animation (season 1), Rai Com (season 1) and Rai Ragazzi (season 2)
Helen's Little School [17] 2017France 5
Knowledge Kids (Canada)
co-production with Muse Entertainment
The Adventures of Paddington 2019–2025 Gulli, M6 & Piwi+
Nick Jr. UK (United Kingdom)
Nickelodeon (international)
co-production with StudioCanal, Heyday Films and Blue Zoo Animation Studio
Owned by StudioCanal
Go! Go! Cory Carson 2020–2021 Netflix co-production with Kuku Studio and VTech
Anna and Friends [18] 2022France 5co-production with Atmosphere Media
Batwheels 2022–present Cartoon Network Animation services only [19]
produced by Warner Bros. Animation and DC Entertainment
Spirit Rangers [20] 2022–2024Netflixco-production with Netflix Animation and Laughing Wild
Lego Friends: The Next Chapter [21] 2023–present YouTube season 2 onwards
co-production with The Lego Group and Passion Pictures
Supa Team 4 [22] 2023Netflixunder Superprod Studio
co-production with Triggerfish Animation Studios and Cake Entertainment
Miffy [23] coming 2025 Canal+ co-production with StudioCanal and Mercis BV
Vet Academy [24] TBATF1
Underdog [25] Coming 2025Gulli & M6
Rai Gulp (Italy)
co-production with Red Monk Studio, Classic Media and DeAPlaneta Entertainment
A reboot of the 1960s series by W. Watts Biggers

Red Monk Studio

TitleYearsNetworkNotes
Home Sweet Home [26] 2023 Rai Gulp
Family Channel (Canada)
co-production with First Generation Films, Rai Kids and Michael Poryes Productions
PiriPenguins [27] 2025–present Rai Yoyo
CBeebies (United Kingdom)
co-production with Eaglet Films, Rai Kids, Banijay Kids & Family Distribution [28] and PBS Distribution
Underdog [25] Coming 2025Rai Gulp
Gulli & M6 (France)
co-production with Superprod Animation, Classic Media and DeAPlaneta Entertainment
A reboot of the 1960s series by W. Watts Biggers

Films

TitleRelease dateDistributorNotes
Dead Man Talking October 3, 2012Kanibal Films Distribution & Atypik Films
uDream (Belgium)
co-production with Nexus Factory, Bidibul Productions and uFilm
Song of the Sea December 10, 2014 (France/Belgium/Luxembourg)
February 19, 2015 (Denmark)
July 10, 2015 (Ireland)
Haut et Court [29]
O'Brother Distribution (Belgium)
StudioCanal (Ireland)
Svensk Filmindustri (Scandinavia)
co-production with Melusine Productions, Cartoon Saloon, Big Farm and Noerlum Studios
Cafard [30] September 23, 2015 (Belgium)
December 12, 2015 (France)
Eurozoomco-production with Tarantula Belgique, Tondo Films and Topkapi Films
Jailbirds September 16, 2016Rezo Filmsunder Superprod Films
co-production with Orange Studio, Cine France, Rogue International, Nexus Factory, France 3 Cinema and Umedia
White Fang July 6, 2018 Netflix [31] co-production with Bidibul Productions and Big Beach
Mr. Blake at Your Service! [32] November 1, 2023 Universal Pictures International France under Superprod Drama
co-production with Universal Pictures International and Bidibul Productions
The Kid [33] TBA FilmNation Entertainment co-production with Bidibul Productions and Big Beach

Watch Next Media

Watch Next Media
Industry Animation
FoundedMarch 25, 2015;10 years ago (2015-03-25)
FounderPhilippe Alessandri
Headquarters Paris, France
Parent Superprod Group (2024-present)
Subsidiaries
  • Kids First Digital
  • La Factorie Animation
  • Je Suis Bien Content
Website www.watchnextmedia.com

Watch Next Media is a French animation production studio part of Superprod Group that specialises in producing animated TV series. It was founded on March 25, 2015 by former Tele Images Productions CEO & president and former Marathon Images CEO & president Philippe Alessandri had stepped his role at both companies four months prior in November 2014. [34]

Watch Next Media partnered with French animation production company Monello Productions in November 2017 to launch a joint venture distribution subsidiary based in Boulogne named Kids First Distribution, giving Watch Next Media their own in-house distribution subsidiary alongside Monello Productions reuniting Watch Next's founder and former Tele Images CEO & present Philippe Alessandri with former Tele Images producer & founder of Monello Giorgio Welter as Philippe leading the joint venture distribution subsidiary whilst Marie Lassal had been tapped to handle the joint venture distribution subsidiary as their head of sales; Watch Next would eventually take full control of the distribution subsidiary by acquiring the remaining 50% stake in Kids First Distribution from Monello Productions (which was acquired by Banijay from its previous parent Tetra Media Studio) four years later. [35]

In February 2025 following Watch Next's partnership with Superprod Group back in October 2024 four months ago, Watch Next Media merged it's distribution arm Kids First Distribution into Superprod's distribution subsidiary Superights Kids & Family with Watch Next Media's production catalogue joining Superights, gaining control of the Watch Next Media programming catalogue became the biggest international distributor of children's programs as Watch Next Media rebranded its distribution subsidiary Kids First Distribution to Kids First Digital now focusing on their digital publishing activities with Superights now distributing Watch Next Media's future productions. [12]

Filmography

TitleYearsNetworkNotes
Nate Is Late [36] 2018–present France 4
Super RTL (Germany)
co-production with La Factorie Animation and Nate Is Late Productions
Boy Girl Dog Cat Mouse Cheese 2019–present Gulli, Canal J & Disney Channel France (season 3–)
CBBC (United Kingdom)
RTÉ2 & RTÉjr (Ireland)
co-production with Cloudco Entertainment and Kavaleer Productions
Hello Kitty: Super Style! [37] 2022–2024 Canal+ Kids
Rai Yoyo (Italy)
co-production with Monello Productions, Maga Animation Studio and Sanrio
Vanishing Point [38] TBACBBC
France Televisions
co-production with BBC Studios Kids & Family and Kavaleer Productions

References

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  2. Franks, Nico (May 7, 2013). "M6 exec joins new distributor". C21Media.
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  5. Franks, Nico (June 13, 2018). "Superprod replants Vanilla Seed". C21Media.
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  7. Goldsmith, Jill (September 29, 2022). "France's Superprod Buys The Co-Production Company; Doug Schwalbe Is President, Former Cartoon Network Exec Tatiana Krokar VP, Of Superprod US". Deadline Hollywood.
  8. "Superprod Dreams Big with Angoulême Studio Expansion". Animation World Network. January 5, 2023.
  9. "Superprod Unveils 'Impact' Corporate Responsibility Policy". Animation Magazine. December 7, 2023.
  10. "France's Superprod Group Acquires Luxembourg's Studio 352/Mélusine Productions". Animation Magazine. April 2, 2024.
  11. Tuchow, Ryan (June 10, 2024). "Alexi Wheeler launches a new studio under Superprod's umbrella". Kidscreen.
  12. 1 2 Lang, Jamie (February 4, 2025). "Superprod Group and Kids First Merge to Expand Their Children's Programming Distribution (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety.
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  14. "DQE to stage Lassie's return". Kidscreen. October 7, 2010.
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  28. "Banijay Kids & Family warms to Piripenguins". C21Media. October 4, 2024.
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  34. "WatchNext Media Launches In Paris". Animation World Network. March 25, 2015.
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