Emmy Award-winning French company Dandelooo is set to produce a new 2D animation series Max & Rabbit (Max & Lapin) for French live TV and digital streaming platform Canal+.
The official synopsis of the series reads as follows:
Max & Rabbit is the world seen from a child’s perspective and follows the adventures of four-and-a-half-year-old Max and his rabbit as they navigate everyday situations. If you see a purple rabbit tucked under Max’s arm, you’ll probably think it’s a cuddly toy. You’d be wrong! Rabbit is a REAL rabbit – especially for Max. They talk to each other, confide in each other, give each other advice, console each other and bicker. But only Max knows, of course.
The series is targeted for three to five-year-olds and features the duo Max and Rabbit as they make their way through daily situations. Using clever and effective tools Max & Rabbit deals with emotions, and helps kids to listen, accept, verbalise and find charming fun solutions for every little problem they may encounter. Max & Rabbit directed by Clément Céard is set for delivery in Q4 2025 and Dandelooo will handle the worldwide distribution.
Max & Lapin is based on the best-selling children’s books of the same name by French author Astrid Desbordes, illustrated by Pauline Martin and published by Nathan. With thirteen titles published to date, the books have also been translated and sold in numerous countries including China, Italy, Israel, Poland, Greece and Korea.
Dandelooo is a French creative company based in Paris which produces and distributes original and acquired animated programs. The company’s key productions include the preschool series The Treehouse Stories (four seasons and two theatrical films), the animated series Stinky Dog (52 episodes) and the short film Mum is Pouring Rain for Canal+. The studio is also producing The Upside-Down River, a serialised series for kids based on the well-known novel by French author Jean Claude Mourlevat.
Dandelooo’s animation studio Ooolala in la Cartoucherie, Valence, France will commence production of the Max and Rabbit’s 26 x 5-minute episodes in September 2024.
Dandelooo producer and head of international Emmanuèle Pétry commented, “With this new commission, we are thrilled to continue the creative collaboration for this beautiful IP with Nathalie Leffray and Christine Cauquelin from Canal+, building on the great teamwork established during the production of the serialised fantasy series The Upside Down River”.
Canal+ director of programs and channels for documentaries, youth and animation Christine Cauquelin added, “Canal+ is thrilled to start a new collaboration with the Dandelooo team. The Max & Lapin books by Astrid Desbordes and Pauline Martin have conquered our hearts thanks to their modern look, the soft tongue-in-cheek tone which brings humour. We believe the series will fully match our desire to tell stories to the youngest because the characters are kind, smart and a bit mischievous. We have no doubt that our audience will love this new series”.
Canal+ Group is a subsidiary of French media company Vivendi. Canal + is a live television and on-demand streaming platform with 26.4 million subscribers, and is available in over 50 countries as claimed by the press release. The service has over 130 linear and non-linear in-house channels.
Max & Rabbit will be available on Canal+ in the fall of 2025.