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German production powerhouse Leonine Studios has launched an animation studio as it ups its stake in Mia and Me producer Toon2Tango.
Toon2Tango will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Leonine Animation Studios from 1 January and Leonine will take a 50% stake, with Toon2Tango founders Hans Ulrich Stoef and Jo Daris holding the other half. Stoef and Daris will run the studio with Chief Distribution Officer Bernhard zu Castell.
Leonine described the studio as a “growth and investment platform for the development, production and acquisition of new IPs with international scope as well as other selective M&A activities in the animation sector.” Leonine has the option to acquire a controlling majority from next year.
Leonine already makes a number of animation shows including The School of Magical Animals, Lassie – a New Adventure and The Ogglies. Toon2Tango, meanwhile, has found global success with international hit Mia and Me and a number of other kids series and moves since launching four years ago. Last year, Leonine took a 25.1% stake in the outfit.
“We want to consistently expand our successful children’s and family entertainment segment and this step will create the conditions for further growth in this exciting market,” said Leonine CEO Fred Kogel. “We are delighted that we can now deepen our partnership with Toon2Tango, Ulli Stoef and Jo Daris after our first year of successful collaboration.”
Stoef added: “We have found the perfect match which offers us both the creative freedom and the necessary economic support to consistently expand in the areas of production, distribution and IP and brings us closer to our goal of becoming one of the leading European animation companies.”
Speaking to Deadline at Zurich, Kogel spoke of his ambition to build the Mediawan-partnered outfit into the “perfect European studio.”
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