Alibaba’s Youku picks up Schwarzenegger kids’ series from Genius Brands

Schwarzenegger’s Oak Productions is on board Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten

Chinese VoD platform Youku, owned by Alibaba Digital Media & Entertainment Group, has acquired season one of a kids’ series executive produced by and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Stan Lee’s Superhero Kindergarten (26×30’) is produced by Genius Brands and Stan Lee’s Pow! Entertainment in association with Schwarzenegger’s Oak Productions.

Gill Champion, CEO of Pow! Entertainment, Andy Heyward, chairman and CEO of Genius Brands, and Paul Wachter of Main Street Advisors serve as exec producers alongside The Terminator actor.

Steven Banks, former head writer for SpongeBob SquarePants, serves as head writer, while John Landis is voice director on the series, which follows a group of kindergarten students with superhero powers.

In other Genius Brands news, Todd Steinman has been appointed as chief revenue and marketing officer for its subscription-based Kartoon Channel! Kidaverse.

Steinman most recently served as VP in the direct-to-consumer and international division at The Walt Disney Company, which included Disney+ during its launch.

Prior to his role at The Walt Disney Company, Steinman co-founded the digital media agency M80, and then led the NBC Universal media team for marketing firm WPP after they acquired M80.

Steinman will report to Jon Ollwerther, president of Kartoon Channel! and KC! Kidaverse, who said: “Todd has a history of driving growth for the most important names in entertainment. With the announcement of the KC! Kidaverse, and the acquisition of Ameba TV, Kartoon Channel! has reached a new inflection point, and I could not be more thrilled to welcome an executive of Todd’s calibre to help take our business to the next level.”