Jungle Book Gets New Animated Treatment

CANNES: Indian animation studio DQ Entertainment is producing a new CGI take on The Jungle Book, with ZDF and ZDF Enterprises on board as co-producers on the project, budgeted at about 9 million euros.

ZDF and ZDF Enterprises will be full co-producers on the series, with full editorial rights and the distribution rights across German-speaking countries for Europe (and excluding French, English and Irish territories), the Middle East and Latin America. The first 52×11-minute season is set to be delivered in 2010. DQ is also producing an hour-long TV special. Based on the Rudyard Kipling classic, the new series explores the various escapades of Mowgli and his jungle friends.

DQE has also lined up a French partner with TF1 and TF1 Enterprises, while NBC Universal will be handling home video in market such as the U.K., Australia and Japan, among others.

"The team at DQE is full of anticipation as we embark on this thrilling journey through the Indian jungles with Mowgli and his friends!," said Tapaas Chakravarti, the chairman and CEO of the DQE Group. "This is a major milestone for the growth of DQE’s home-grown IP initiatives, and represents a bold step forward in terms of international production, licensing and distribution for our company. "Joining hands with ZDF Enterprises has added strength to the production and distribution of this iconic property since ZDF Enterprises is uniquely positioned to undertake the widest possible exploitation of this TV series in their territory."

Nicole Keeb, the head of international co-productions and acquisitions for children’s and youth programming at ZDF, added: "Jungle Book is a classical property and with its modern 3-D adaptation perfectly fits into ZDF’s programming. We particularly like the idea that Mowgli and his friends will come to life in their homeland: India."