Blue Ant International Signs Raft of New Licensing Deals

Blue Ant International has closed a crop of new licensing deals that amount to more than 320 hours of content placed across platforms in the U.S., the U.S. Hispanic market, Latin America and English- and French-speaking Canada.

The deals include programming across the distributor’s broad array of genres, including specialist factual, factual entertainment, high-impact documentary series and scripted. Firstly, the company has secured sales to National Geographic for its Latin American and U.S. Hispanic platforms. Across Latin America, as well as the Caribbean and U.S. Hispanic networks, National Geographic is set to broadcast Airport Below Zero, a dramatic look at the inner workings of the world’s most northerly major airport. Additionally, in Latin America, National Geographic has licensed Colombia’s Wild Coast, an exploration of Colombia’s unique coastline habitats that are home to some of the most fascinating underwater creatures on the planet, and Blue, a provocative journey into the ocean realm that explores this critical time when the marine world is on a precipice.

Globosat in Brazil has licensed Great Blue Wild season three, which showcases underwater footage from the world’s greatest divers as they encounter massive humpbacks, majestic manta rays and menacing sharks.

In Mexico, Canal 22 is set to launch three titles from Blue Ant International’s portfolio: Who Killed Gandhi?, the definitive inquiry into the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi that unveils a multilayered conspiracy; Deadly Australians, an up-close look at the world’s most venous snakes, deadly jellyfish, monster crocs and venom-laden spiders; and Wild Latin America, which travels to some of the most unspoiled habitats on Earth to uncover how different species survive in the diverse regions of South America.

In the U.S., Blue Ant International has secured the sale of season three of Best Cake Wins to BYUtv, a series which it funded and commissioned. The series is a baking competition in which two expert bakers create intricate birthday cakes for the most demanding judges of them all: young kids with wild imaginations.

Reelz has renewed its run of Celebrity Legacies, an inside look at celebrity deaths, which, much like the lives of these famous people in the spotlight, prove to be controversial, fascinating and full of drama.

Meanwhile, SYFY has licensed the short-form, animated series Don’t Feed the Humans for its late-night animation block, TZGZ. An irreverent and satirical comedy that follows self-centered Jack, who is abducted and forced to live in an alien zoo with other humans from throughout human history.

In Canada, the documentary channel has picked up the docuseries Cold Valley for English-speaking Canada, which recounts the gruesome murder of five local youth from Lewis-Clark Valley in the 1970s and the detective who is determined to get justice.

The Miracle Network Channel’s streaming service Corco has licensed a multitude of Blue Ant International titles for Canadian viewers, including season one of Sarah 101, a dynamic crash course in design from iconic designer Sarah Richardson; Strange Creatures season two, which reveals astounding adaptations, marvelous mating rituals and amazing abnormalities among the weirdest of wildlife; Fearless in the Kitchen season three, a transformative look at how celebrity chef Christine Cushing transforms terrible cooks into fearless gourmets; Attack & Defend, which examines nature’s battle royale between predators and prey; Pick a Puppy season three, a series of heartwarming journeys with families as they find the perfect puppy; Africa’s Claws and Jaws episodes one and three, which provide an in-depth look at some of the most dangerous animals known to man; and Expedition Antarctica, a documentary following a team of marine scientists embarking on a journey across the Great Southern Ocean to Antarctica.

CBC’s French-speaking network, SRC Network, will air Hope For Wildlife seasons five through seven, which follow wildlife advocate Hope Swinimer and her team who rescue thousands of sick, injured and lost animals and return them to their natural habitats. SRC’s specialty channel Explora has picked up the first season of Dogs with Extraordinary Jobs, an in-depth look at how dogs are saving lives, preventing potential disaster, rescuing families and protecting entire species.

For French-speaking Canada, Quebecor Content has picked up Orangutan Jungle School season one for Club illico. The docuseries follows the hilarious antics, triumphs and tragedies of a gang of orphan orangutans in a unique forest school; Gary and His Demons, an animated comedy about a cantankerous, aging demon slayer who has nothing left to lose; and Blue.

“Blue Ant International is committed to providing compelling programming and storytelling that resonates with audiences across the Americas,” says Ludo Dufour, senior VP of international co-productions and sales at Blue Ant International. “Our diverse offering across genres reflects our continued approach to partnering with top-tier production companies to offer premium content.”