Classic Media to Distribute New Series from Hannah Montana Co-Creator

LONDON: Classic Media has secured the global distribution and licensing and merchandising rights for the new live-action tween series Life with Boys, from Michael Poryes, the co-creator and executive producer of Hannah Montana and That’s So Raven.

The series is being produced by Corus Entertainment, Nelvana Studio and YTV. Casting is under way, and production is slated to begin in February on the 26×30-minute series. Classic will manage the TV distribution for all territories worldwide, except for Canada, Latin America and Asia outside of Japan—which will all be handled by Nelvana Enterprises—and Australia, France and the U.K.—to be covered by Helion Pictures. Classic Media will also be responsible for the global L&M program, handing all distribution territories with the inclusion of the U.K.

Life with Boys is scheduled to premiere on Canada’s YTV in September 2011 and Helion has secured presales with Canal J in France, Nickelodeon in the U.K. and ABC Australia. Classic Media will present the show to international buyers at MIPCOM.

“Life with Boys offers us a unique opportunity to build on our experience with Hannah and Raven and to create a show that moves the genre to the next level,” said Poryes, creator and executive producer of Life with Boys. “I’m very excited to be working with such established international players.”

“We have admired Michael Poryes’s work for a long time and are excited to present his new series to broadcasters,” commented Doug Schwalbe, the executive VP of production and program sales at Classic Media. “We are pleased to announce Life with Boys with such distinguished partners in Nelvana, YTV, and Helion and look forward to many great conversations during MIPCOM.”

Steven Bawol, the managing director at Helion Pictures, added, “Michael’s work and success speaks for itself. We’re proud to be part of such a high-profile project and look forward to seeing this great series happen.”