‘Club Penguin’ creator among group of core partners on new animated series for kids aged 6 to 11.
CANNES, FRANCE -- Corus Entertainment’s Nelvana is teaming up with Oktobor Animation and Playmates Toys to develop and produce Mech Mice, an animated action-comedy for kids 6 to 11.
The CG series, about a ragtag team of heroic hi-tech mice ready to save the world, is anticipated to premiere in 2017. Mech Mice, created by Oktobor Animation’s Dan Wang and Chris Waters, is an original idea from Lance Priebe, creator of Disney’s Club Penguin and founder of digital gaming studio, Hyper Hippo. Priebe will oversee development of web and mobile games based on the series. Oktobor, Nelvana and Playmates Toys are partners in the production, with Playmates Toys also acting as the global master toy partner for the brand.
“We’re thrilled to announce this array of partnerships that benefits from Oktobor Animation’s world class capability, Playmates Toys’ strength and history of success and Lance Priebe’s industry-leading digital gaming expertise,” said Scott Dyer, President, Nelvana. “Kids will love the high stakes adventures, robust storytelling and hilariously funny characters found within the Mech Mice world.”
Mech Mice follows the adventures of the incorrigible young mouse, Scratch Whitepaw, and his teammates, a ragtag squad of heroic, mini, mech-powered mice, as they turn “awwww” into awesome. Their mission: to protect the weak and defend the mouse way of life. Whether it is facing down the galaxy of natural predators terrorizing mousedom or saving the world from the Dark Union’s evil army of cybernetically enhanced mutant bugs, these furry fighters always find a way to get the job done – usually by the skin of their tiny incisors. Whenever mice are in danger, wherever critters need help, they can count on Scratch Whitepaw and the Mech Mice.
“After two years, Lance Priebe finally figured out how to get mice to pilot their own miniaturized mechs. With their class leading expertise in anthropomorphized hero action, there is simply no one better to head up mech design and manufacturing than Playmates Toys,” said Chris Waters, EVP Business Development at Oktobor. “And parents will no doubt be thrilled that we have a global powerhouse like Nelvana on board to train and deploy these adorable, heroic mice into unsuspecting homes all over the world.”
“We are very excited to be working with such industry veterans as Nelvana and Oktobor Animation for this truly unique, one-of-a-kind property,” said Thomas Chan, CEO, Playmates Toys. “Mech Mice provides a number of unique opportunities to create a highly interactive line of toys that will allow kids to bring Mech Mice to life through their own creative high octane adventures.”
Source: Corus Entertainment
Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.
