Banijay Kids & Family, a global leader in children’s entertainment, behind hit shows such as Totally Spies! and Mr Bean: The Animated Series, today announces its latest original series, Aquila & The Medieval Misfits, has been confirmed for Canal+ (France), ITV/ITVX (UK), NDR (Germany) and RTBF (Belgium). First pitched at Cartoon Forum 2023, the series is produced by Zodiak Kids & Family France and Tiger Aspect Kids & Family in co-production with Umedia, with the support of CNC, Wallimage, Procirep and Angoa. It is based on an original idea by Henry Paker and Tom Beattie and the illustrations of Henry Paker.

From the award-winning teams behind Mr Bean: The Animated Series, Totally Spies!, and Super Happy Magic Forest, Aquila & The Medieval Misfits is a fast-paced, high-gag 2D animated sitcom for kids aged 6+. Set in the hilariously chaotic kingdom of Yetropolis, a medieval world that has nods to the 21^stcentury, the series follows Aquila, a clever and resourceful 10-year-old from a humble food truck family, who unexpectedly lands a job as Personal Assistant to the pampered Princess Winifred. Tasked with keeping the kingdom from collapsing under Winifred’s whims, Aquila navigates castle chaos and city-wide shenanigans, all while searching for a place to truly belong.

Benoit Di Sabatino, CEO Banijay Kids & Family/Zodiak Kids & Family France says: “This series embodies the creative ambition of Banijay Kids & Family, bold, original, and driven by character. Aquila & The Medieval Misfits brings together top-tier talent and a truly unique comic sensibility, and Bastien Fauré and I, are incredibly proud to be coproducing this show with Tom Beattie at Tiger Aspect Kids & Family, alongside outstanding creatives such as Henry Paker. The result is a series that feels both fresh and instantly accessible for today’s young audiences.”

Tom Beattie, MD, Tiger Aspect Kids & Family adds: “From the incredibly funny wit and drawings of Henry Paker, Aquila & The Medieval Misfits blends medieval madness with modern references in this laugh-out-loud workplace sitcom. It might be set in medieval times but don’t expect a history lesson!”

Henry Paker, co-creator, adds: “It’s been so fun building this detailed world full of loveably bizarre characters, quirky props, mad inventions, and barrels and barrels of visual jokes! I am confident Aquila & The Medieval Misfits leads the way in kids shows when it comes to the amount of references to porridge.”

The series is directed by Daniel Dubuis, the head writer is Baljeet Rai and it is produced by Tom Stuart. The executive producers are Tom Beattie, Henry Paker, Benoît Di Sabatino and Bastien Fauré, and for Umedia Bastien Sirodot and Cédric Iland.

Henry Paker is an award-winning comedian, writer, and illustrator and co-hosts the Three Bean Saladpodcast. Henry has illustrated numerous books including all of Adam Kay’s children’s books series, and the recent Dexter Procter: the Ten-Year-Old Doctor, which has been made into a BBC series.

A specialist in the creative development and production of children’s animation, Zodiak Kids & Family France (part of Banijay Kids & Family), led by CEO Benoît Di Sabatino, has a strong track record of producing fun, inspiring and successful children’s content for kids of all ages. Credits include Lolirock, Lilybuds, Mumfie, Shasha & Milo, and long-running international hit Totally Spies!.

Under the leadership of MD Tom Beattie, the multi-BAFTA-winning Tiger Aspect Kids & Family (part of Banijay Kids & Family) creates bold, funny, and iconic content for all ages. Spanning live action and animation from pre-school to family content, notable credits include Aliens Love Underpants, Charlie and Lola, Danny & Mick, Corpse Talk, Super Happy Magic Forest, and Mr Bean: The Animated Series.

Banijay Kids & Family, part of Banijay Entertainment, is a collective of first-class producers and talent behind some of the world’s biggest kids’ brands.