Zephyr and Super RTL together for "Lana Longbeard" production mission

APC Kids, the children's entertainment division of leading co-production and distribution company APC Studios, has secured a major co-development agreement with Super RTL (Germany) through its production arm Zephyr Animation. Originally created at Copernicus Studios by Tony Mitchell and Andrew Power, along with head of development, Dylan Edwards, the companies will co-develop Wool Longbeard, an exciting new 2D fantasy and adventure animated series aimed at children between the ages of six and nine.

"We are thrilled to be working with Zephyr Animation and Copernicus Studios on Studios Wool Longbeard, a series that is not only moving but also adventurous and incredibly fun. So far, the development of the show has gone as smoothly as anyone could wish for and we're sure our audiences will love Lana and her group of misfit friends and family as much as we do. Just like Lana, we are big fans of big adventures and pancakes! " said Kerstin Viehbach, head of Super RTL's commissioning and development department.

Set to start production later this year, Wool Longbeard follows main character Lana, a super exuberant, farsighted and passionate 11-year-old girl who is the heir to her father's adventurous ship, the Mighty Windbreaker. Together with his Viking father and his motley crew of thieves - which includes dwarves, orcs, Amazons, barbarians and a Cyclops - he sails through the Ten Kingdoms, dreaming of becoming one of the greatest adventurers of all time. Before this is possible, however, he must first overcome some challenging personal obstacles: impulsiveness, stubbornness, extreme curiosity, disregard for rules and a love of pancakes. All the best things about her!

The series is currently in development with director Jessica Borutski on board. Wool Longbeard will be produced by David Sauerwein for Zephyr Animation and Paul Rigg for Copernicus Studios.

"Wool Longbeard is a comic series full of adventure and heart. We are particularly proud to bring a strong female lead like Lana to audiences in Germany and around the world. Lana is proof that female empowerment, adventure and comedy blend perfectly, "Sauerwein said." We are very proud that Super RTL believes so strongly in the series and helping them develop and bring these characters to life was a fantastic experience ".

Rigg added, “We are thrilled to be working with Super RTL and Zephyr Animation to bring Wool Longbeard to life for a global audience. From the earliest stages of development, we knew we had something very special on our hands with Lana, an incredibly curious, determined and confident female lead. Lana, along with her ship's family, will inspire and entertain children around the world, sharing a passion for exploration, collaboration, comedy and fantasy adventure, through a series of incredible stories. We can't wait to set sail! "