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Holly Hobbie goes live in Cannes

MIPJUNIOR: The forthcoming live-action update of classic IP Holly Hobbie from Hulu, Universal Kids and Family Channel has been unveiled by Cloudco Entertainment here in Cannes.

Holly Hobbie

Holly Hobbie will make its US debut on November 16 exclusively on streaming service Hulu, followed by Family Channel in Canada, while Universal Kids holds the second-window US linear TV rights.

It marks the first time Hulu, which counts NBCUniversal (NBCU) as a minority shareholder, and NBCU Cable Entertainment-owned Universal Kids have co-commissioned a series.

Introduced by American Greetings Entertainment, now known as Cloudco Entertainment, in 1967, Holly Hobbie is recognised worldwide as the bonneted ‘blue girl’ in paintings and illustrations.

The single-camera series, produced by Aircraft Pictures with showrunner Sarah Glinski (Degrassi: Next Class), updates the character as an aspirational, modern-day 13-year-old singer-songwriter with a passion for social change living in a small town.

Sarah Glinski, showrunner on Holly Hobbie, described the 10-episode show as a “young Gilmore Girls,” while Universal Kids’ Rick Clodfelter said the show has multi-generational appeal as a result of the “nostalgia” of the Holly Hobbie brand.

Meanwhile, Andrew Thomas, director, content acquisitions at Hulu, said that the streamer had been attracted to the show’s stories that “feel connected to real kids’ lives.”

International buyers were shown an exclusive preview of the show here in Cannes this morning alongside a panel that also featured Ruby Jay, who plays the lead character in the show.

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