ABC Australia, WildBrain (Canada), Discovery Kids (Latin America) and France Télévisions have signed on 9 Story Media Group’s new 2D-animated series Open Season: Call of Nature (pictured).

Targeting kids ages six to 11, the toon kicks off with Boog the bear and Elliot the deer (the main characters in Sony Pictures Animation’s Open Season feature film franchise) discovering an abandoned summer camp. The two pals decide to use it as a place where they and other animals can enjoy nature in this 52 x 11-minuter that will premiere in 2024.

9 Story animation studio Brown Bag Films is producing the series, with Mark Thornton (Total Drama Island) and Todd Kauffman (Corner Gas Animated) directing. Sony Pictures Animation’s Rick Mischel will serve as executive producer, along with 9 Story Media Group president and CEO Vince Commisso.

9 Story Distribution International is managing global sales, with consumer products division 9 Story Brands in charge of licensing worldwide. 

The first film in the franchise, Open Season (2006), was budgeted at US$85 million and grossed US$200 million at the global box office. Sony has since released three sequels: Open Season 2 (2008), Open Season 3 (2010) and Open Season: Scared Silly (2015).