PBS buys Canadian animated preschool movie Rocket Saves the Day

Animated film Rocket Saves the Day was produced by Atomic Cartoons

US public broadcaster PBS Kids has bought Canadian preschool animated film Rocket Saves the Day, with plans to premiere the project on December 26.

Produced by Thunderbird-owned animation studio Atomic Cartoons, the movie is based on a New York Times bestselling book about an enthusiastic young pup called Rocket and his new best friend, Little Yellow Bird, as they embark on a quest to save their town through the power of reading.

The book series was created by Tad Hills and published by Random House Children’s Books.

The movie version was developed and written by kids’ TV screenwriter Rachel Lipman (Rugrats, Dinosaur Train, Hey Arnold!) and adapted for the screen by Peabody-winning producer Lynn Kestin Sessler.

Executive producers on the project include Sessler, Rachel Bader, Hills and Atomic Cartoon’s Joel Bradley and Trevor Bentley. Atomic’s Heather Renney is supervising producer.

Thunderbird, which owns the IP and is handling international distribution, will introduce the project to other international buyers at Mipcom next month.