Cartoon Saloon Brand Development to oversee global licensing and merchandising for Netflix film My Father’s Dragon

Cartoon Saloon Brand Development, the ancillary rights division of five-time Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Emmy-nominated animation studio Cartoon Saloon, will spearhead the global licensing and merchandising strategy for the 2D animated family feature, My Father’s Dragon, a Netflix Film, to premiere in 2022. 

The announcement was made today by Brian Tyrrell, General Manager of Cartoon Saloon Brand Development, who will be attending Licensing Expo for in-person meetings.

My Father’s Dragon is inspired by the Newbery Honor Book of the same name by Ruth Stiles Gannett about a young boy who, struggling to cope with a move to the city with his mother, runs away in search of Wild Island and a young dragon who waits to be rescued. It was first published in 1948 and has since been published in over 20 languages.

My Father’s Dragon is the first book of a trilogy whose other titles are Elmer the Dragon and The Dragons of Blueland. All three were published in a 50-year anniversary edition in 2011 as Three Tales of My Father’s Dragon.

“My Father’s Dragon is a timeless and classic story with inspirational qualities which has been pleasing kids and adults alike across the globe for over 70 years, and will for years to come,” says Tyrrell. “Discussions are already well under way with key potential licensees and we look forward to presenting this evergreen property to a wider audience at the upcoming Licensing Expo.”

Directed by Cartoon Network’s Nora Twomey (Song of the Sea, The Secret of Kells, The Breadwinner), My Father’s Dragon is written by Meg LeFauve (Inside Out, The Good Dinosaur), with story by Meg LeFauve and John Morgan, who are also executive producers, along with Tomm Moore, Gerry Shirren, Alan Maloney, and Ruth Coady. Bonnie Curtis and Julie Lynn of Mockingbird Pictures (Raymond & Ray, Heart of Stone, and Albert Nobbs) are producing together with Cartoon Saloon’s Paul Young.

The talented voice cast includes Jacob Tremblay, Gaten Matarazzo, Golshifteh Farahani, Dianne Wiest, Rita Moreno, Chris O’Dowd, Judy Greer, Alan Cumming, Yara Shahidi, Jackie Earle Haley, Mary Kay Place, Leighton Meester, Spence Moore II, Adam Brody, Charlyne Yi, Maggie Lincoln, Jack Smith with Whoopi Goldberg and Ian McShane.

 

Cartoon Saloon Brand Development to oversee global licensing and merchandising for Netflix film My Father’s Dragon

Cartoon Saloon Brand Development, the ancillary rights division of five-time Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Emmy-nominated animation studio Cartoon Saloon, will spearhead the global licensing and merchandising strategy for the 2D animated family feature, My Father’s Dragon, a Netflix Film, to premiere in 2022. 

The announcement was made today by Brian Tyrrell, General Manager of Cartoon Saloon Brand Development, who will be attending Licensing Expo for in-person meetings.

My Father’s Dragon is inspired by the Newbery Honor Book of the same name by Ruth Stiles Gannett about a young boy who, struggling to cope with a move to the city with his mother, runs away in search of Wild Island and a young dragon who waits to be rescued. It was first published in 1948 and has since been published in over 20 languages.

My Father’s Dragon is the first book of a trilogy whose other titles are Elmer the Dragon and The Dragons of Blueland. All three were published in a 50-year anniversary edition in 2011 as Three Tales of My Father’s Dragon.

“My Father’s Dragon is a timeless and classic story with inspirational qualities which has been pleasing kids and adults alike across the globe for over 70 years, and will for years to come,” says Tyrrell. “Discussions are already well under way with key potential licensees and we look forward to presenting this evergreen property to a wider audience at the upcoming Licensing Expo.”

Directed by Cartoon Network’s Nora Twomey (Song of the Sea, The Secret of Kells, The Breadwinner), My Father’s Dragon is written by Meg LeFauve (Inside Out, The Good Dinosaur), with story by Meg LeFauve and John Morgan, who are also executive producers, along with Tomm Moore, Gerry Shirren, Alan Maloney, and Ruth Coady. Bonnie Curtis and Julie Lynn of Mockingbird Pictures (Raymond & Ray, Heart of Stone, and Albert Nobbs) are producing together with Cartoon Saloon’s Paul Young.

The talented voice cast includes Jacob Tremblay, Gaten Matarazzo, Golshifteh Farahani, Dianne Wiest, Rita Moreno, Chris O’Dowd, Judy Greer, Alan Cumming, Yara Shahidi, Jackie Earle Haley, Mary Kay Place, Leighton Meester, Spence Moore II, Adam Brody, Charlyne Yi, Maggie Lincoln, Jack Smith with Whoopi Goldberg and Ian McShane.

 

Cartoon Saloon’s “Silly Sundays” and “Puffin Rock – The Movie” presented for first time at BLE

Five-time Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA and Emmy Award-nominated Irish animation studio, Cartoon Saloon, will attend Brand Licensing Expo (BLE) for their second time to present licensing and merchandising opportunities for two new preschool properties: the recently announced animated preschool series Silly Sundays and their new feature film Puffin Rock – The Movie. Also being presented is Cartoon Saloon’s Irish Folklore Trilogy, featuring WolfWalkersThe Secret of Kells and Song of the Sea.

Brian Tyrrell, Cartoon Saloon’s General Manager, Licensing & Merchandise, says: “This is going to be an exciting BLE for Cartoon Saloon. In the preschool space, we’re presenting for the first time our newest animated series, Silly Sundays, for which we’ve already had many discussions and seen huge interest since we announced our deal with WarnerMedia Kids & Family for the series to air on the new Cartoonito preschool block on HBO Max and Cartoon Network, along with RTE in Ireland. We’re also proud to debut Puffin Rock – The Movie, based on the award-winning hit series, which will debut in 2022.

“BLE will also provide us with the opportunity to speak to potential partners about Cartoon Saloon’s Irish Folklore Trilogy. With the completion of WolfWalkers, with its Academy Award, Golden Globe and BAFTA nomination among its more than 100 awards nominations and 45 award wins to date, and also Academy Award nominees Song of the Sea and The Secret of Kells, we’re delighted to work with potential licensing partners to create merchandise for fans geared toward the movie trilogy that offers further engagement across the brands.”

Silly Sundays is an animated comedy series following cousins Sonia, Hugo and Mel on fun, unexpected adventures at their family get-togethers. Created by Oscar-nominated producer Nuria González Blanco (Late Afternoon)Silly Sundays will debut in 2023 on Cartoonito in the U.S.,  LATAM and EMEA, as well as with RTE in Ireland.

Co-produced with long-time partner Dog Ears and Chinese partner CNB, Puffin Rock – The Movie, based on the Emmy Award-nominated preschool TV Series Puffin Rock (78×7), will debut in the summer/autumn of 2022. The movie sees the heroic Oona work with her new friend Ursula to save their island, and a precious little egg, in an action-packed story which celebrates the puffins’ magnificent natural environment. The popular series enjoys international success, having received an International Emmy Award nomination, two Kidscreen Awards and a Royal Television Award, and has been a huge hit with preschool audiences. Puffin Rock screens globally on Netflix and on Tencent in China where it has been streamed over 170 million times, and on linear TV around the globe.

Cartoon Saloon will be seeking licensing partners for all properties across Toys, Apparel, Games/Puzzles, Crafts, Publishing, Accessories and more.

Magic, fantasy and Celtic mythology come to life in Cartoon Saloon’s celebrated Irish Folklore Trilogy, featuring three Academy Award-nominated modern animated classics.

Early deals for the trilogy include a 4-Disc Blu-ray box set to be made available December 14 in North America with GKIDS and Shout! Factory and in the UK/Ireland with Studio Canal. This deluxe set features animatics and bonus features for the three films never released before in North America and is presented in environmentally friendly packaging that reflects each film’s loving depiction of the natural world.

Cartoon Saloon will be developing a consumer products program for the Trilogy across multiple key categories, including Apparel, Games, Publishing, and Accessories, with an anticipated retail debut in 2022.

About WolfWalkers: Set in Kilkenny, Ireland, in the mid-17th century, Wolfwalkers tells the story of Robyn Goodfellow, a young apprentice hunter who comes to Ireland with her father to wipe out the last pack of wolves. Her life changes after she saves a native girl, Mebh, leading to her discovery of the Wolfwalkers and her transformation into the very thing her father is tasked to destroy. WolfWalkers is co-produced with Luxembourg’s Melusine Productions in association with Shenzhen based V & P Media and has won over 45 major awards together with Academy Award, Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations. Wolfwalkers is available nearly worldwide on Apple TV+.

About The Secret of Kells: The Secret of Kells is a  bewitching animated fairy-tale for children and adults alike that is a spirited retelling of the provenance of Ireland’s most cherished artefact, the Book of Kells, combining stunning artwork influenced by Irish medieval illustrations. It was Cartoon Saloon’s first feature film and was nominated for an Academy Award in 2010. The film was a co-production with Vivi Film (Belgium) and Les Armateurs (France).

About Song of the Sea: Song of the Sea takes inspiration from the mythological Selkies of Irish folklore, who live as seals in the sea but become humans on land. Song of the Sea was a co-production with Cartoon Saloon, Melusine Productions (Luxembourg), The Big Farm (Belgium), Nørlum (Denmark) and Superprod (France).

Also in production from Cartoon Saloon and for release in 2022 exclusively for Netflix is My Father’s Dragon, a major animated feature production based on the 1948 Ruth Styles Gannet best-selling book with script by Meg LeFauve.

 

Cartoon Salon launches online art gallery for prints from its award-winning film slate

The Academy Award nominated animation studio, Cartoon Saloon, has launched a new e-commerce art gallery, featuring limited edition framed prints from a slate of its award nominated and award winning films, including WolfWalkers, The Breadwinner, Song of the Sea, and The Secret of Kells.

Originating from Cartoon Saloon’s Studio in the medieval town of Kilkenny, Ireland, the series of artwork is now available, ranging in prices from €450. Each print is signed by the films’ directors and numbered and is printed on museum quality paper.

Brian Tyrrell, general manager, brand development with Cartoon Saloon, said: “The launch of our new art gallery offers us a tremendous opportunity to share the magic of these outstanding movies with fans around the world. We are extremely proud of our films, particularly with the most recent recognition WolfWalkers is receiving with Academy, Golden Globe and BAFTA Award nominations.

“We are thrilled to offer these carefully curated state-of-the-art limited edition numbered prints that are sure to become a valuable collector’s items in the years to come.”

2021 Academy Award, BAFTA and Golden Globe-nominated WolfWalkers, directed by Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and was heralded by The Hollywood Reporter as “a visually dazzling, richly imaginative, emotionally resonant production,” while IndieWire headlines read, “Cartoon Saloon’s Irish Folklore Trilogy Ends with the Best Animated Film of the Year.”

The film opened theatrically in the U.S. on November 13, 2020 and is now available on Apple TV+.

WolfWalkers follows Robyn Goodfellowe, a young apprentice hunter who journeys to Ireland with her father in a time of superstition and magic to wipe out the last wolf pack. While exploring the forbidden lands outside the city walls, Robyn befriends a free-spirited girl, Mebh, a member of a mysterious tribe rumored to have the ability to transform into wolves by night. As they search for Mebh’s missing mother, Robyn uncovers a secret that draws her further into the enchanted world of the WolfWalkers and risks turning into the very thing her father is tasked to destroy.

Meanwhile, nominated for an Academy Award in 2010 for best animated feature and winning awards at festivals worldwide, The Secret of Kells is a bewitching animated fairytale for children and adults alike that is a spirited retelling of the provenance of Ireland’s most cherished artefact, the Book of Kells.

With the Viking hordes approaching, the monks of Kells are forced to turn their attention from transcribing manuscripts to building barricades. The future of the precious book is in jeopardy and it falls to Brendan, young nephew of the abbot Cellach, to save the day.

The Secret of Kells was Cartoon Saloon’s first feature film and was directed by Tomm Moore with Nora Twomey as Co-director.

Song of the Sea tells the story of Ben and his little sister Saoirse – the last Seal-child – who embark on a fantastic journey across a fading world of ancient legend and magic in an attempt to return to their home by the sea. The film takes inspiration from the mythological Selkies of Irish folklore, who live as seals in the sea but become humans on land.

Finally, based on the best-selling children’s novel by Deborah Ellis, the award-winning and multi-award-nominated The Breadwinner, directed by Nora Twomey from a screenplay by Anita Doron and Deborah Ellis, is a celebration of children.

The movie tells the story of 11 year old Parvana who gives up her identity to provide for her family and try to save her father’s life. Every day is a challenge as Parvana tries to bring home enough food and water to support her mother, sister and little brother. She meets a fellow girl in disguise called Shauzia and together, they form a bond that will give them the strength to endure the war that comes to their doorstep.