Atomic Cartoons Developing Surf’s Up Series

Thunderbird Entertainment’s Atomic Cartoons has begun developing Surf’s Up: The Series, a new animated series based on the Surf’s Up film from Sony Pictures Animation.

The series, targeted at kids 6 to 9, will be written by Lienne Sawatsky, Dan Williams and John Hazlett, the trio behind The Guava Juice Show. All three will also serve as showrunners of the TV adaptation.

The Surf’s Up movie, which was nominated for an Academy Award for best animated feature, follows an overconfident penguin who teams up with a group of young surfers on his quest to become a surf legend.

Executive producers include Jennifer Twiner McCarron, Joel Bradley and Aaron Behl for Atomic Cartoons and Rick Mischel for Sony. Atomic Cartoons’ Kitty Walsh will co-executive produce.

“Our team at Atomic is thrilled to be working on Surf’s Up: The Series and for the opportunity to introduce these adored characters to the small screen, reaching new and existing fans of the iconic animated film,” said Twiner McCarron, CEO and chair of Thunderbird Entertainment and CEO of Atomic Cartoons.

“Lienne, Dan and John are passionate about only two things in life—penguins and surfing,” added Behl. “It was undeniable that they were the write team (pun intended) to adapt Surf’s Up as a hilarious animated series.”

“We’re excited to be partnering with Atomic and their long history of bringing great intellectual property to series animation,” commented Mischel. “Surf’s Up is iconic and we look forward to a whole new audience getting to know these characters.”