German mini-major Leonine Studios has taken full management of German animation group Toon2Tango and is utilizing the Munich-based outfit as the idea of a brand new division, Leonine Animation Studios.
Leonine, which acquired a 25.1 p.c stake in Toon2Tango in October 2022, will maintain 50 p.c of the brand new division, with Toon2Tango ideas Hans Ulrich Stoef and Jo Daris collectively controlling the remaining 50 p.c. Leonine’s holding firm has an choice to amass a controlling majority in Leonine Animation Studios from 2025.
Toon2Tango was based 4 years in the past by Stoef and Daris, two skilled European animation veterans whose credit embrace the worldwide hit collection Mia and Me. The corporate’s line-up contains such animated collection as Monster Loving Maniacs, and Agent 203 and Maya the Bee: The Honey Video games, a characteristic spin-off of the favored animated children franchise.
Leonine chief distribution officer Bernhard zu Castell will collectively run Leonine Animation Studios along with Stoef and Daris.
Along with in-house productions — upcoming tasks embrace the vacation characteristic Santa.Com, set for theatrical launch in 2025, a TV spin-off of hit flying reindeer film franchise Niko, and sci-fi collection Littlest Robotic, which was introduced on the Cartoon Discussion board final September — Leonine Animation Studios can also be trying to broaden through mergers and acquisitions and thru selective acquisition of “new IP with a world scope.”
“The enlargement of our partnership with Ulli Stoef and Jo Daris is a vital strategic step for our positioning within the animation sector,” stated Bernhard zu Castell. “Since our funding in Toon2Tango in October 2022, we have now accomplished hit collection reminiscent of Agent 203 and Monster Loving Maniacs, amongst others, which have offered extraordinarily nicely worldwide. The event, manufacturing and acquisition of main IPs is the proper match for our main place in advertising and distribution, enabling us to create holistic model worlds starting from cinema and residential leisure to radio performs and podcasts.”
Backed by personal fairness group KKR, Leonine has turn out to be Germany’s main impartial media firm largely by way of M&A exercise, gobbling up most of the nation’s prime manufacturing and distribution outfits together with Tele München Group, Universum Movie, i&u TV and Wiedemann & Berg Movie.
Leonine is itself the topic of takeover rumors, with information stories suggesting French media group Mediawan could also be eyeing the Munich-based group as an acquisition goal. Mediawan, referred to as the producer of the French TV hit Name My Agent! final yr acquired Brad Pitt’s Plan B manufacturing outfit, whose credit embrace Oscar-winners Moonlight and The Huge Brief. Leonine and Mediawan arrange a TV manufacturing three way partnership in 2020. KKR is a shareholder in each firms.
