LEONINE, Ulli Stoef, Jo Daris Launch LEONINE Animation Studios

LEONINE Studios is partnering with Toon2Tango founders Hans Ulrich Stoef and Jo Daris in a new animation venture.

All three partners will contribute their shares in Toon2Tango to LEONINE Animation Studios, effective January 1, 2024. LEONINE Studios picked up a 25.1 percent stake in Toon2Tango in October and is now upping that interest to 50 percent. With the move, Toon2Tango becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of LEONINE Animation Studios. LEONINE has the option to acquire a controlling majority in LEONINE Animation Studios from 2025.

LEONINE Animation Studios’ projects include Santa.com, an animated film set for release in German cinemas in 2025 via LEONINE Studios, and the TV series spin-off of the well-known cinema franchise NIKO. The venture is also developing Littlest Robot and Hey Fuzzy Yellow.

Fred Kogel, CEO of LEONINE Studios, noted: “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. We are delighted that we can now deepen our partnership with Toon2Tango, Ulli Stoef and Jo Daris after our first year of successful collaboration.”

Bernhard Xu Castell, chief distribution officer at LEONINE Studios, added: “The expansion of our partnership with Ulli Stoef and Jo Daris is an important strategic step for our positioning in the animation sector. Since our investment in Toon2Tango in October 2022, we have completed hit series such as Agent 203 and Monster Loving Maniacs, among others, which have sold extremely well worldwide. The development, production and acquisition of major IPs is the perfect fit for our leading position in marketing and distribution, enabling us to create holistic brand worlds ranging from cinema and home entertainment to radio plays and podcasts.”

Stoef, CEO and producer at Toon2Tango, commeted: “We are very pleased to take the next step in the rapid development of Toon2Tango with our dream partner LEONINE Studios and to now become part of the LEONINE group. 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.”