APC Kids’ Zephyr in Co-Dev Pact with Super RTL

APC Kids has secured a co-development deal with Germany’s Super RTL through its Zephyr Animation production arm.

The companies will co-develop Lana Longbeard, a 2D-animated fantasy and adventure comedy series targeted at 6- to 9-year-olds. Lana Longbeard follows the titular character, a super feisty, forward-thinking, passionate 11-year-old who is heir to her father’s adventuring ship, the Mighty Windbreaker.

Originally created at Copernicus Studios by Tony Mitchell and Andrew Power, along with head of development, Dylan Edwards, the show is set to begin production later this year. It is currently being developed with director Jessica Borutski onboard. The series will be executive produced by David Sauerwein for Zephyr Animation and Paul Rigg for Copernicus Studios.

Sauerwein said: “Lana Longbeard is a comedy series filled with adventure and heart. We’re especially proud to bring a strong female lead character such as Lana to audiences in Germany and around the world. Lana is the proof that girl empowerment, adventure and comedy mix perfectly well. We’re very proud to have Super RTL believing so strongly in the series, and having them help to develop and bring these characters to life has been a fantastic experience.”

Rigg added: “We’re thrilled to be working with Super RTL and Zephyr Animation to bring Lana Longbeard to life for a global audience. From the first stages of development, we knew we had something very special on our hands with Lana, an incredibly curious, determined and confident female lead character. Lana, along with her ship’s family, will inspire and entertain kids globally, by sharing a passion for exploration, collaboration, comedy and fantasy adventure, through a series of amazing stories. We can’t wait to set sail!”

Kerstin Viehbach, head of the commissioning and development department of Super RTL, said: “We’re beyond excited to be working with Zephyr Animation and Copernicus Studios on Lana Longbeard, a series that is not only heartwarming but also adventurous and incredibly funny. So far, the development of the show has been going as smoothly as one could only wish for and we’re sure that our audience will love Lana and her misfit crew of friends and family just as much as we do. Just like Lana, we are big fans of great adventures and pancakes!”