WBD Unveils European Launch Details For Max Streamer Including In France As International Boss Gerhard Zeiler Talks Up Synergies: “We Are On The Way To $5B And Who Knows Where We Will End Up?” – Mipcom Cannes

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The Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Max streamer will launch in 22 European countries in spring 2024 and France and Belgium later next year, the media outfit revealed today.

Opening Mipcom Cannes with a keynote, interntional boss Gerhard Zeiler and EMEA Head of Streaming Leah Hooper Rosa brought highly-anticipated news of the rollout of the new streamer in the continent, which is rebranding from HBO Max with a bigger offering.

The Nordics, the Netherlands, Iberia and CEE, which already have HBO Max, will gain access to the rebranded streamer in the spring.

There will then be a “second wave” of launches later next year including in France and Belgium, which currently don’t have HBO Max, although WBD has an output deal with Amazon locally in France.

The service launched earlier this year in the U.S. and other territories. It will launch later in the UK due to the pre-existing content deal between Sky and WBD.

“The content breadth is so huge and we are enabling customers to find this content,” added Hooper Rosa. “And then they are increasing their time watching this breadth of genre, so streaming provides another avenue that compliments our distribution.”

“We promised the market $3B synergies, now we are on the way to $5B and who knows where we will end up?,” Zeiler went on to say.

He talked up the success that WBD has had with its goal to “execute as efficiently as possible” its “defining mission and vision.”

Following the Warner Bros merger with Discovery, new boss David Zaslav said he was targeting $3B synergies, which has seen the merger of teams and thousands of layoffs, but that synergy figure has crept up and up, confirmed by Zeiler today to be approaching $5B by next year.

He reiterated a “culture eats strategy for breakfast” mantra and said “we are one company not six or seven diluted units.”

Zeiler has seen something off an exodus in his international team of late but this wasn’t addressed at Mipcom. He set a new team earlier this month following a spate of exits including the likes Priya Dogra, Pierre Branco and Hannes Heyelmann alongside Robert Blair, who had worked in Warner Bros sales for 25 years.

WBD May Favor Local Partnerships Over Worldwide Max Rollout, Says JB Perette: ‘We Have The IP To Be A Survivor’

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Warner Bros Discovery’s JB Perrette warns that the global streaming market faces pain and consolidation over the next three to five years, but he says that the merged group has what it takes to be among the big five groups that pull through.

And, to win the war of attrition and consolidation, WBD may choose not to fight every battle.

Perrette, WBD’s CEO and president of global streaming and games, said that the company’s Max streaming product is to be rolled out in a largely pre-determined sequence, one that arrives in Latin America and Europe before arriving in parts of Asia. But, speaking on Wednesday at the APOS conference in Indonesia, Perrette said that in some markets Max may never happen, and that WBD may favor local partnerships instead.

“If we think we’re going to have success and profitability, if our market differentiation is viable enough to make a go of it and have a profitable business over a three-to-five year timeline [then we will launch Max.] If the answer is ‘no’ because the market has ARPUs that are just too low or it is way over-served by a ton of other players, who are spending on a ton of content and losing a ton of money, we may say this is not the right time,” said Perrette.

“If we think we can be successful based on the three metrics that we have [profitability, market share and scale] then, yes, great, we’ll go and figure out how best to tackle it. But if the answer is no, we don’t see a path, then we’ll find partnerships and other ways to go to market.”

Perrette dropped a heavy hint that India, already the battleground for a seething cluster of local and international streaming players, may be prime example of a market where Max would be a player too many.

Perrette’s tactical approach flows from a macro assessment that the streaming market has gone too far too fast and that WBD, in particular, needs to return to rationality and profitability.

“We went through a decade of great oversupply and great under-pricing and we are in a period of rationalization and embracing the aggregation [process] There’s structural aggregation and there’s rebundling,” said Perrette. “I think you’re working towards a world where, over the next five to 10 years, you’re going to end up with three to five feasible players, in addition local champions in individual markets.”

Despite the chastening outlook, Perrette declared himself “very optimistic” that WBD has the strategy and content to be among the players that make it through the current tightening phase. “We lost $2 billion last year. We are now profitable in the first half of this year,” he said.

“I have high confidence. The IP we that have – between HBO, the Warner studio, all the factual content from Discovery side, to the DC Universe, “Harry Potter” — that, at the end of the day, great stories and great IP is what wins the day. Our portfolio gives us an absolute entitlement to be in that last group.”

Local product partnerships may be on the horizon too. “One of the areas we’re very focused on is we have great IP, things like DC franchises, which historically has been very English-language dominant, but where we can open and bring characters from that universe and originate local IP with a partner in that market. We think it’s not just investment entirely ourselves, but there may be creative ways to partner with existing local players,” said Perrette.

‘Tom And Jerry’ To Spar In Singapore; First Ever Localized Version To Premiere On Cartoon Network & HBO GO

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Warner Bros Discovery has announced the first ever localized version of the Tom And Jerry series, featuring the famous cat and mouse duo as they take their rivalry to Singapore.

Produced locally in Asia, in association with Warner Bros Animation, the new 7×3-minute series will premiere on Cartoon Network in Asia Pacific and HBO Go in Southeast Asia, Taiwan and Hong Kong later this year, before being rolled out internationally. 

A pilot episode giving a flavour of what’s to come will launch in August – further details will be announced soon. 

The project is produced by Warner Bros Discovery’s Carlene Tan, with Vivek Bolar serving as lead director. India’s Aum Animation Studios handled the animation, with stories and designs from Singapore-based Robot Playground Media and Chips and Toon Studios.

Christopher Ho, Warner Bros Discovery’s Head of Kids, Southeast Asia, said: “This series brings back the iconic music and classic animation style from the Hanna-Barbera 1950s era – but with a modern Singaporean twist. 

“With distinctive landmarks, backdrops and atmosphere, the Asian city-state is the ideal location to create a humorous addition to the Tom And Jerry canon. Working with homegrown creative talent in Singapore and across Asia, this project grows the much-loved franchise in the region and beyond.”

Vishnu Athreya, Senior Vice President of Series, Warner Bros Animation and Cartoon Network Studios, said: “Tom And Jerry are two of our most universally loved characters, proving that laughs can translate to any audience. The fans in Asia have long embraced these characters and it’s great to finally give them a version to call their own.”

Tom And Jerry is one of Warner Bros Discovery’s leading franchises with a global social reach of 50 million and almost 30 billion minutes watched on the Warner Bros Kids YouTube channel. There have been more than 500 episodes, 15 movies and seven Academy Awards so far in its 83-year history. 

Warner Bros Discovery also plans to launch additional Tom And Jerry-branded consumer products to complement the series launch later this year.

Regular Nick Shorts: Cartoon Network And Max Acquired Rights To Lana Longbeard With Tara Duncan Loading Up On Disney Channel And Gamebox To Rollout A 60 Minute Ghostbusters Game

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Zephyr Animation

2D-animated comedy Lana Longbeard has landed its first presales, with Warner Bros. Discovery (EMEA), Super RTL (Germany), Gulli (France) and CBC (Canada) claiming it for their regions. Co-produced by Zephyr Animation (APC Kids’ production arm) and Canadian studio Copernicus, the 52 x 11-minute series for six to nines tells the story of a courageous teen girl who sets sail on her father’s viking ship on a quest to become a famous adventurer. APC Kids has the global distribution rights.

Superights

Animated adventure series Tara Duncan will be distributed worldwide (excluding China) by Paris-based Superights. Produced by Princess Sam Pictures and based on a 15-book series by Sophie Andouin-Mamikonian, this CG-animated show stars a girl who travels to a magical planet to learn how to control her powers and defeat evil villains. Princess Sam has already sold the first season (52 x 13 minutes) to buyers including Disney (France, Belgium, Japan, Africa and the Netherlands), Rai (Italy) and RTE (Ireland), and a second 52-ep season is currently in production.

Columbia Pictures Location Based Entertainment

Who you gonna call? A Ghostbusters VR game is in the works at Columbia Pictures Location Based Entertainment and Immersive Gamebox. Based in London, Immersive Gamebox operates experiential game rooms where content from popular entertainment brands is projected onto the walls for kids to interact with through touch-screens and motion-tracking. The techco is gearing up to launch a 60-minute Ghostbusters: The Cursed Collection game at its 20 locations in the UK, EMEA and US later this year. In the experience, kids will explore haunted streets and battle ghosts from the ’80s movie franchise.

New Series Alert: Cartoon Network And Max Greenlight New Preschool Series For Cartoonito, Hop! From Arthur Series Creator Marc Brown

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Following last year’s momentous finale of the beloved “Arthur” series, creator Marc Brown is beginning his next chapter in the world of children’s television with “Hop,” a new preschool animated series greenlit today by Max. The series marks Brown’s first television show since “Arthur’s” staggering 25-year run, where he began telling children’s stories. Co-creators and fellow “Arthur” alums, Peter K. Hirsch and Tolon Brown, will join Marc in bringing his beloved children’s book illustrations to life on “Hop,” produced by Epic Story Media and animated by Loomi Animation.

Epic has engaged RespectAbility – the esteemed advocacy nonprofit organization fighting stigma and advancing opportunity for people with disabilities – to consult on the series.  “Hop” follows an eclectic group of besties whose comedic adventures teach preschoolers about embracing their own uniqueness. Led by Hop, an enthusiastic, empathetic frog with one leg shorter than the other, he and his quirky friends address kid-relatable problems with a healthy dose of laughter, silliness, and adventure.

Set in the aspirational community of Fair Village, every episode is grounded in emotional reality but soars into the world of fantasy, populated by dragons, trolls, talking banjos, and magic crayons. With a gentle balance of humor and heart, our heroes go on fun escapades to discover that they can overcome any obstacle with perseverance, creativity, and teamwork. Together, they show us the power of friendship and kindness as they navigate the mud puddles of life.

“Even before ‘Arthur’ ended, I was nurturing a new project about a little frog named Hop, for a younger audience,” said Brown. “As Hop’s world grew in my imagination, I drew inspiration from the great work my friend Fred Rogers had done. With ‘Arthur,’ we occasionally introduced characters with disabilities, but they never became part of the ensemble cast in any meaningful way. But the characters in “Hop” reflect many kids who are underrepresented in the media.  Some of our characters have disabilities but they never define who they are or what they can achieve. Kids are kids and each one is unique and filled with potential. And kids love to have fun, that’s what ‘Hop’ is all about!”

Ken Faier of Epic Story Media adds, “We’re extremely proud of our work and collaboration with industry experts on representing characters in an inclusive way. It is an honor to have developed ‘Hop’ with Marc, Peter and Tolon who know how to engage not only today’s youth but parents looking for quality content. We believe ‘Hop’ will have longevity in the marketplace for many years to come.”

Michael Ouweleen, president of Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, and Boomerang added: “Marc is a legend in children’s programming, having created one of the most iconic television shows that has garnered almost every honor imaginable. ‘Hop’ exudes everything families love about ‘Arthur,’ but with a fresh cast of modern characters that authentically represent the sundry of little eyes watching TV.”

New Series Alert: Barney's World Coming In 2024 To Cartoonito And Max

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Warner Bros Discovery announced that it has picked up the new CG-animated series Barney’s World for Cartoonito on Cartoon Network and streaming on Max. The series, announced earlier this year as part of Mattel’s Barney franchise relaunch, will aptly be titled “Barney’s World” and will revamp the iconic character for modern audiences. Co-produced by Mattel Television and Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana, “Barney’s World” will debut globally in 2024.

With all the heart and comfort of the original iconic dinosaur, “Barney’s World” is modernized with dynamic characters and music-filled storylines that highlight themes of love, community, and encouragement. Set in a local playground, Barney is joined by dinos Billy and Baby Bop and their three kid best friends. Throughout silly and imaginative adventures together, Barney helps kids explore big preschool emotions and shows them how to love themselves and other.

“Barney’s World perfectly exemplifies our ‘best in animation’ approach. It strikes the right nostalgia chord for today’s parents and introduces this iconic dinosaur to a new generation of preschoolers,” said Michael Ouweleen, president, Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, Discovery Family, and Boomerang.

“Having grown up watching the original series, many of today’s parents have fond memories of laughing, singing and learning with Barney and his friends,” said Fred Soulie, senior vice president and general manager, Mattel Television. “We are proud to partner with Warner Bros Discovery to reimagine this famed brand and bring a fresh and modern version of Barney to a global audience of families.”

The show will be executive produced by Fred Soulie and Christopher Keenan for Mattel Television and by Colin Bohm, Doug Murphy and Pam Westman for Nelvana.