New Magic Roundabout Series in the Works

Method Animation is working on a new take on the iconic series Le Manège Enchanté (The Magic Roundabout).

The French stop-motion animation was created by Serge Danot in the 1960s, and its success led to a British version, The Magic Roundabout, with the help of Eric Thompson. The new show’s first season will consist of 52 11-minute episodes aimed at a preschool audience aged 3 to 5.

Le Manège Enchanté had more than 500 episodes shown in more than 60 countries and adapted into 30 languages. The original series is considered one of the first global preschool IPs in television history.

The new show will be co-produced by Magic, a company founded and directed by Jérôme Brizé, who handles the rights for the Danot family, and produced by Camille Oesch, head of originals and international co-production at Method Animation.

Julien Borde, executive VP, managing director and chief content officer at Mediawan, said: “We are super proud to start the development of the new Magic Roundabout. The series is one of the most beloved IPs in France, the U.K. and many other territories. We have paired two of the most renowned preschool specialists, Beth Gardiner (PJ Masks) and Jenny Landreth (Hey Duggee), to create this new version of Serge Danot’s masterpiece. By reopening the magical roundabout, we aspire to bring back the magic and open an optimistic and playful universe to a whole new generation of children.”

Jérôme Brizé, founder of Magic, said: “I am delighted to hear about the rebirth of a modern and fresh version of Le Manège Enchanté that will speak to today’s generation. Mediawan is a solid partner to bring this IP that is so close to Serge Danot’s heart, and it was one meeting that I had with Aton Soumache and Julien Borde that convinced me this project was a good idea with a wonderful team. For 50 years now, Le Manège Enchanté is still being broadcasted around the world, and with this new series, which is in line with the DNA of the original show, it will open a new era for this unique and universal friendship story.”