Magic Light sticks with Gruffalo author

Magic Light Pictures, the UK prodco behind the toons based on Julia Donaldson’s books Room on the Broom and The Gruffalo, is bringing another of the author’s creations to the small screen.

Magic Light will produce a half-hour animated film based on Stick Man, a children’s book written by Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler.

The festive special, which tells the story of a ‘stick man’ who has to get back to his family in time for Christmas, is expected to be delivered in 2015.

Stick Man will be directed by London-based Jeroen Jaspaert, co-directed by Daniel Snaddon and produced by Magic Light’s Martin Pope and Michael Rose, with animation taking place at Triggerfish Animation Studios in Cape Town, South Africa.

Magic Light has previously adapted Donaldson and Scheffler’s Room on the Broom, which premiered on BBC1 at Christmas 2012 and continues to find international buyers.

The UK company also produced The Gruffalo, which was last week recognised as the best fiction series of the past 50 years at the Prix Jeunesse International awards.