Puffin Rock Movie in the Works

Puffin Rock Movie, inspired by the kids’ TV series from Cartoon Saloon, Penguin Books and Dog Ears, has been given the green light.

The feature will follow Oona and her friends as they work to save their island and a precious little egg. Co-funded by China Nebula Group (CNB), Northern Ireland Screen and Screen Ireland, Puffin Rock Movie will be produced in Dog Ears’ studio in Derry and at Cartoon Saloon in Kilkenny in Ireland and at China Nebula Studio in Tianjin in China. It is slated to be released in spring 2021.

Puffin Rock has been acquired by various international broadcasters, including a global deal with Netflix and a Chinese acquisition by CNB. The series broadcasts on Tencent in China.

Axinear, CEO of China Nebula Group, said: “I am very honored to participate in this wonderful family film together with the world’s leading 2D animation team. As a big fan of Puffin Rock myself, I can’t wait to meet the little puffin and her friends on the big screen as soon as possible.”

Fionnuala Deane, managing director of Dog Ears, said: “We’re delighted to announce the production of the Puffin Rock Movie and to welcome our new partners Chinese Nebula Pictures on board. We’re very excited about the movie and have big hopes for it reaching family audiences across the globe.”

Paul Young, CEO of Cartoon Saloon, said: “I’m very happy that we are able to begin work on our Puffin Rock feature with our brilliant partners Dog Ears and China Nebula Pictures. There are a lot of kids hungry for some more adventures with Oona, Baba and friends and we don’t want to let them down! Our movie has lots of laughs and thrills for younger viewers and for many we expect the Puffin Rock Movie will be their first cinema experience! “

Richard Williams, CEO of Northern Ireland Screen, said: “We are thrilled that the Puffins are migrating to the big screen. Northern Ireland Screen has long been enthusiastic supporters of Dog Ears, they are a hugely talented and highly driven team working at ease alongside major global names in children’s programming. It comes as no surprise that they are behind the first animated feature film to be made in Northern Ireland. This news speaks volumes for the growth and future potential of the animation sector here. We wish Dog Ears every success as they embark on this exciting project.”

James Hickey, CEO of Screen Ireland, said: “Fís Eireann/Screen Ireland is thrilled to be part of the Puffin Rock Movie, and to support Cartoon Saloon on yet another feature-length animation project, as it has grown into an internationally acclaimed powerhouse animation studio, marking another wave of success for the Irish animation industry. Screen Ireland has been proud to support the original TV series of Puffin Rock, and its continued international success and acclaim highlights the range of creative talent across Irish storytelling and animation, both North and South. This move to the big screen will be a fantastic opportunity for children everywhere to engage with these already much-loved characters and stories.”