Yahoo News Warner Bros. Orders 8th Season of ‘Totally Spies!’
Warner Bros. Discovery EMEA and French kids network Gulli have ordered an eighth season of hit French animated series Totally Spies!. The companies made the announcement at the Annecy film festival this week.
The beloved anime-influenced series follows Sam, Clover and Alex, three teenage girls from Beverly Hills, who work as undercover agents for the World Organization of Human Protection (WOOHP).
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Originally created by Vincent Chalvon-Demersay and David Michel for Zodiak Kids & Family France, Totally Spies! was a global success, running for six seasons from 2001 through 2012. Seasons 3 to 5 were co-produced with Canadian group Image Entertainment Corporation. In the U.S., Totally Spies! aired on ABC Family, the Cartoon Network and Universal Kids. There was also a feature film spinoff in 2009.
After an 11-year hiatus, Zodiak parent company Banijay Kids & Family relaunched the franchise with a seventh season, which bowed on Gulli, the kids’ network owned by French commercial broadcaster M6, last month. The revival was an immediate hit, and has seen its audience share grow week to week, with the most recent episode drawing a 37 percent share of the key 4-14 demographic.
The seventh season is set to air globally on Warner Bros. Discovery’s channels and platforms later this year.
Philippe Bony, President of Gulli said since its season 7 launch on May 12, Gulli “has already set audience records, making us the national leader among children [in France]. The Spies are creating a buzz not only among our audience, but also in the press, on our digital platforms and social networks. It’s a success story we’re proud to be part of, and one we’ll continue to support with enthusiasm.”
“We felt immense responsibility bringing back such a beloved series and are delighted the new season is a huge hit with audiences,” said Benoît Di Sabatino, CEO of Banijay Kids & Family and a producer of Totally Spies!. “The success of series 7 and subsequent series 8 pickup furthers our reputation as the go-to producers for premium kids and family entertainment, and is a significant nod to the incredibly talented and hard-working teams within our group.”
Zodiak Kids & Family France will produce season 8 of Totally Spies! in collaboration with Gulli and Warner Bros. Discovery EMEA. Banijay Kids & Family handles global sales, licensing and merchandising rights for the brand.
The Totally Spies! re-up comes as TF1, France’s leading broadcaster group, has boosted its commitment to animation, pledging to invest more in French and European originals and to commit more airtime to cartoons.
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