The recently launched preschool series, Odo – recognised for its warm-hearted and comic storytelling – is taking flight in the US and Latin America following a new broadcast deal between Sixteen South and WarnerMedia Kids & Family.
Under the partnership, the series will air on the company’s upcoming Cartoonito preschool programming block, slated for HBO Max across the two regions. Cartoonito will launch this autumn on HBO Max and Cartoon Network.
Meanwhile, Odo is now set to premiere in the UK on Channel 5’s Milkshake this summer, before rolling out to the German PSB children’s channel, KiKA as well as other territories. Currently in production with co-production partners, Letko, Odo will welcome kids aged three to five into a world of possibilities depicted in its hand drawn, 2.5D animation.
Although he is one of the littlest campers at the Forest Camp for Young Birds, Odo knows he can do absolutely anything that he sets his mind to.
The series aims to teach young children self-efficacy and to believe in themselves. Comedic and warm, with gender neutral appeal, the stories also deal with important themes such as immigration, racism and respect for others, and shows kids how to deal with setbacks in a meaningful way while promoting the development of social skills.
Colin Williams, showrunner and creator of Odo at Sixteen South, said: “Odo has had a fantastic response even before it is completed and is already taking flight around the world. We’re delighted that he has now also landed on the mighty HBO Max Cartoonito strand and that his adventures will be seen by kids all across the Americas – and we hope that they will love him as much as we do.”
Sixteen South Rights are managing the international distribution rights for Odo and Bulldog Licensing has been recently appointed to represent the global licensing rights for the brand.
The WarnerMedia Kids & Family/Cartoonito deal follows recent sales of Odo to Canal+ France, ABC Australia, TVO-Kids! Canada, RTE Ireland, Mini Mini Poland, SVT Sweden, NRK Norway, S4C Wales and VRT Ketnet Belgium.
Odo is produced by Sixteen South and Warsaw-based 2D animation studio Letko with funding provided by the UK government funded Young Audiences Content Fund (YACF), which is managed by the BFI, NI Screen and the Polish Film Institute.
