FC Barcelona, Sony team for animation

Talent Explorers is written by Oscar nominee Tab Murphy

Barça Studios, the burgeoning film and TV arm of top-flight Spanish football team FC Barcelona, has partnered with Sony Music Latin Iberia for an animated children’s TV series.

Talent Explorers, Barça Studios’ first animated project, follows a motley crew of animals as they travel the world in search of the next generation of soccer stars. It will also feature music by some of Sony Music’s biggest international artists.

The toon will be produced by former Imira Entertainment chief Sergi Reitg, now at Sony Music, alongside Barça Studios director Paco Latorre.

It is written by Oscar nominee Tab Murphy (Tarzan, The Hunchback of Notre Dame), with Jorge Blanco, director of Spanish animation outlet Planet 51, serving as creative director.

Dídac Lee, a board member responsible for FC Barcelona’s digital division, said: “This project also helps Barça Studios grow as an audiovisual content factory, by exploring new terrain like cartoons. It means the club can create a new IP that is dissociated from the players or from real-life competitions, which often limit the capacity for marketing content.”