By: Sadhana Bharanidharan & Ryan Tuchow 

With MIPTV starting next week, we’re spotlighting a few “cool new shows” in development that we think will be making moves at the French market. Galactic music, hares on an epic adventure and a young Abraham Lincoln are featured in this year’s batch of shows. The common thread? Fresh takes on bringing people (as well as monsters and aliens) together.

Luna and the Land of Dreams (pictured above) – 4 to 6
Producer: Flickerpix (Ireland)
Style: 2D animation
Format: 26 x 11 minutes
Budget: US$2.2 million
Status: A bible and script are ready; co-pro partners needed.
Delivery: Q4 2023

Luna is a spirit of dreams who protects and guides kids through their nightmares in this fantastical series with a therapeutic bent. From helping kids overcome fears of spiders, to dealing with sadness when they feel left out, Luna and her posse of animal spirits are there to help their young charges learn to manage their worries and anxieties in order to get a good night’s sleep.

Venom Wars – 7 to 11 

Co-producers: Baboon Animation (US), Demente Estudio (Mexico)
Style: 2D animation
Format: 52 x 11 episodes
Budget: US$300,000 to US$400,000 per episode
Status: A bible, episode springboards and a script are completed, and the team is looking for financing and broadcasters.
Delivery: Q2 2025

Three orphaned hares are thrust into an adventure to rescue a prince and protect their desert home in this new fantasy series concept. Sharon Gomes (GG & Me) is a development consultant on the show, which is based on Michael Baumann’s novel Venom Wars of the Desert Realm. The heroes seek clues to unravel the mystery of how their parents died, while traveling across the barren landscape in search of a missing prince and magical stones that give them new powers. Adventures range from battling an evil snake to exploring dangerous caves.

Baberaham Lincoln – 10 to 12

Producer: Rainshine Entertainment (US)
Style: 2D animation
Format: 22 x 11 minutes
Budget: US$130,000 to US$200,000 per episode
Status: An animated sizzle, episode springboards and arcs for three seasons are planned. Rainshine is currently in the market for streaming platform and co-financing partners.
Delivery: 12 months from greenlight

It’s 1818, and a young Abraham Lincoln is struggling to fit into a world that doesn’t quite welcome his goofy and curious spirit. Drawing on the real Lincoln’s quotes and life, this coming-of-age comedy will explore what makes a hero. It was created and developed by Jared Nigro (Groundlings), who’s also producing the show with Rainshine’s Donna Ebbs (Young Captain Nemo).

Edmonster – 6 to 9 

Producer: Xilam Animation (France)
Style: 2D animation
Format: 52 x 11 minutes
Budget: US$9.2 million
Status: A bible and script are ready. Xilam is seeking buyers.
Delivery: 2025

This wacky sitcom from Karine Mazloumian (Hotel Bordemer) centers around a half human, half forest monster protagonist who is struggling to embrace both sides of his identity. Edmonster tries to harmonize both cultures in all kinds of out-there ways, such as running a monster-human Olympics. His schemes almost always backfire, but Edmonster doesn’t let that stop him in his quest to build an untraditional family and be true to himself.

Jupiter Rocks – 4 to 7 

Producer: Rethinking (US)
Style: 2D animation
Format: 52 x 11 minutes
Budget: US$300,000 per episode
Status: A bible is available; seeking co-producers, financing and broadcasters.
Delivery: Q2 2025

Danielle Lindner and Benjamin Weinman created this musical comedy about a seven-year-old guitar player whose life goes off axis when her mom becomes Earth’s ambassador to Jupiter. After moving to her new planet, Penelope struggles to fit in among aliens—until she joins her school’s band, The Space Rocks, who are impressed with her musical chops. While creating wacky space tunes and exploring, Penelope learns about the value of friend- ship and builds new bonds along the way.

The Makerbolts – 6 to 10

Producer: Smids Animation Studios (Nigeria)
Style: 2D animation
Format: 52 x 11 minutes
Budget: US$2.3 million
Status: A bible and teaser are complete. The studio is looking for co-producers, distributors and broadcasters.
Delivery: Two years from greenlight

The Makerbolts revolves around a trio of friends who live in a fictional city called Lagville. When they discover an abandoned recycling plant, Zina, Toni and Bini tap into their ingenuity to create unique gadgets and gizmos from the scraps left behind, from waste robots to flying cars. This series aims to encourage an interest in both STEM and eco-friendly practices.

This story originally appeared in Kidscreen‘s May/June 2023 magazine.