BBC, Eagle Eye partner on Quentin Blake book adaptation Box of Treasures

MIPTV: UK pubcaster the BBC is teaming up with Eagle Eye Drama, the prodco set up by the team behind international drama brand Walter Presents, for a screen adaptation of books by children’s illustrator Quentin Blake, titled Box of Treasures.

Box of Treasures is based on six books by Quentin Blake

The adaptation is based on Blake’s series of best-selling books Zagazoo, Loveykins, Jack and Nancy, Snuff, Angel Pavement and Mrs Armitage on Wheels.

Sarah Muller, the BBC’s head of commissioning for the seven-plus audience, has greenlit the adaptation for the BBC and its iPlayer on-demand service.

Eagle Eye Drama is coproducing with Creative Conspiracy in association with animation studios Spicy Acorn, Tchack and Kong.

The series will be directed by Gerrit Bekers and produced by Eagle Eye’s creative director for animation Massimo Fenati and executive producer Tess Cuming, along with Creative Conspiracy’s Luc Van Driessche, with Eagle Eye’s Jo McGrath and Walter Iuzzolino overseeing the project.

Created using traditional hand-drawn animation techniques, the series will join the BBC’s collection of specials including The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo’s Child, Room on the Broom, Zog, Superworm and Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas, plus Wallace & Gromit films A Grand Day Out, The Wrong Trousers, A Close Shave, A Matter of Loaf & Death, and The Curse of the Were Rabbit.

Aardman Animations will handle international distribution.