As a child of the ’80s and ’90s, I can’t contain my excitement about Mattel teaming up with Aardman to bring back our beloved penguin, Pingu! I remember watching his mischievous antics on BBC One, and hearing “Noot Noot!” was like music to my ears. The fact that they are reviving this classic series using stop-motion animation, the technique that brought us Wallace & Gromit and Chicken Run, is just the icing on the cake!
Mattel, the large toy company behind Barbie, is collaborating with the esteemed animation studio Aardman (known for “Chicken Run,” “Shaun the Sheep,” and “Wallace & Gromit”) to jointly create a brand-new stop-motion animated TV series based on Pingu.
The TV series is based around Mattel’s well-loved, mischievous penguin character who hails from the South Pole and has been entertaining us for decades with his antics and signature phrase “Noot Noot!” Created by Otmar Gutmann in the 1980s, this show made its debut on BBC One in the U.K. back in 1990.
Josh Silverman, Mattel’s Chief Franchise Officer, expressed his enthusiasm to The Hollywood Reporter during MIPCOM Cannes on Monday: “The union between Mattel and Aardman is simply ideal! I recently met with their team, and we are absolutely thrilled about the project. It promises to be something truly extraordinary. Pingu naturally maintains a vast reservoir of love and interest. And it remains incredibly relevant.
Pingu’s animated series will be jointly created by Sarah Cox and Alan Thorpe at Aardman, while Sidney Clifton, Rob David, and Melanie Shannon will collaborate for Mattel Television Studios. Mattel obtained the rights to Pingu when they purchased HIT Entertainment in 2011.
Silverman discussed Mattel’s strategy to tap into a unique sentiment they call “new-nostalgia” – content that appeals to both grown-ups and kids due to Mattel’s enduring history. To illustrate this, he mentioned the iconic purple dinosaur, Barney, who returned with the revamped Barney’s World on October 14. He explained that this intellectual property (IP) stirs feelings of nostalgia in adults, yet it remains fresh and new for preschoolers.
He went on to say: “In fact, Barney suits the place quite perfectly. It’s not only amusing for kids but also triggers nostalgia in adults, connecting them emotionally to the intellectual property, this story, this narrative. Unlike watching it alone, you watch it with your children, sharing the enjoyment. I believe this shared experience is truly unique and something we will continue to emphasize as we explore our collection.
Is Mattel attempting to recreate the success they had with Greta Gerwig’s blockbuster film Barbie in television? According to Silverman, “What we’re actually aiming not to do is compare or contrast. Each project has its unique identity. Barbie was an amazing collaboration with Greta, who is undoubtedly one of the most brilliant creatives around, and it was a truly unique experience.
In terms of content creation, we partner with exceptional creative minds who genuinely relate to the project at hand. We collaborate closely and build trust, which are key elements that contributed significantly to the success of Barbie. Aardman Animations appears to be one of those creatives Mattel is keen on investing in.
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2024-10-21 19:24