App-Based Ninja Comedy Scores Global Sales

BARCELONA: Nickelodeon has picked up the pay-TV and non-exclusive VOD rights to the app-based slapstick series Chop Chop Ninja Challenge from GoldBee for broadcast in the U.K. and continental Europe, Russia, Central Europe, Turkey, Israel, Southeast Asia and Africa.

Another agreement saw Chinese digital platform iQIYI acquire the non-exclusive SVOD rights to the show, which secured 10 million views in its first two weeks. Existing international partners for Chop Chop Ninja Challenge, which was commissioned by TELETOON in Canada, include The Walt Disney Company in Australia and New Zealand, VRT in Belgium, NRK Super in Norway and Indonesia’s Indosiar. A deal was also made with The Walt Disney Company in Latin America, which sees the non-verbal animated series being sold into more than 100 territories around the world.

Based on the international Chop Chop game franchise created by Gamerizon Studio, Chop Chop Ninja Challenge centers on four lively ninjas who use all their resources to complete a challenge in three tries but constantly fail. The 40×1.5-minute show is co-produced by Sardine Productions and Gamerizon Studio in collaboration with TELETOON Canada. International distribution rights—excluding Iberia and Latin America—are handled by Christophe Goldberger, the managing director of GoldBee. In support of the series, two online games launched in the fall on the TELETOON Canada website.

Goldberger commented: “Chop Chop Ninja Challenge’s non-verbal comedy works well worldwide. Because the series delivers with two successful online games and the brand has such an impressive track record, it is a competitive choice for traditional and digital platforms alike.”