Hoho Entertainment has partnered with Warner Bros. Discovery EMEA on new CG animated series, Toad & Friends (52×11’) based on The Wind in the Willows.
Toad & Friends is produced by London-based Hoho Entertainment, animated in Scotland by Wild Child Animation and directed by Tim Searle (Danger Mouse, Dennis and Gnasher). The new series has been developed and supported by the National Lottery through Creative Scotland and produced with the support of the Creative Media Programme, MEDIA of the European Union, and is set to launch on Warner Bros. Discovery’s pre-school brand Cartoonito across EMEA and on HBO Max in Europe in 2023.
Toad & Friends “honours the legacy of the original novel whilst refreshing the characters and storylines to resonate with a modern audience.” The original characters remain and are joined by “some feisty new female ones” including fearless Hedge, scheming Tinker, diligent Heron, mischievous Adder and motherly Mrs Otter.
Oliver Ellis, Joint Managing Director of Hoho Entertainment and Producer of Toad & Friends said: “With over 85 million copies of the book sold in 29 languages, The Wind in the Willows is not just a British classic, it’s a global classic. We can’t wait to introduce today’s children to these beloved characters, with 52 new and original stories.”
Zia Sands, Lead, Acquisitions, Partnerships & Coproductions, Kids & Family EMEA, Warner Bros. Discovery said: “Toad & Friends is a beautiful series packed full of adventure and wrapped in the nostalgia of the original The Wind in the Willows stories that many parents will remember with such fondness. It’s a perfect fit for Cartoonito and HBO Max and we’re thrilled to add it to our growing slate of European productions.”
Ken Anderson, Wild Child Animation said: “It is a joy to bring the teeming hedgerows and bustling riverbanks of the beautiful British countryside to life using the very latest animated technology and techniques. We hope our reimagined version of Grahame’s world of natural adventure and discovery will encourage children to venture into the great outdoors a little more themselves.”
Jon Creamer
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