The group secured new deals for Oggy and the Cockroaches, season 9; Zig & Sharko, seasons 5 and 6; and the new spin-off Chickies.

Academy Award-nominated French animation studio Xilam Animation has inked a wave of presales for the latest content from its line-up of iconic comedy franchises.

The landmark ninth season of Oggy and the Cockroaches has been presold to Warner Bros. Discovery EMEA and APAC; Zig & Sharko’s upcoming fifth and sixth seasons to JioStar India Private Limited and Warner Bros. Discovery Italy; and Chickies, the new spin-off to hit series Where’s Chicky?, is heading to Radio Canada and SVT Sweden.

Xilam will be attending Mipcom with the first two completed episodes of the Chickies series, which will complete delivery in 2027.

Safaa Benazzouz, EVP Distribution at Xilam Animation, said: “Our legacy brands remain a cornerstone of our business, continuing to resonate with generations of fans, while maintaining highly engaged online communities. The fresh content we’re creating across Oggy and the Cockroaches, Zig & Sharko and our Chickies spin-off will ensure that these iconic IP continue engaging both new and existing audiences. Having such a strong roster of broadcasters already on board is testament to how evergreen these titles are and the ongoing demand for comedic, character-driven animations worldwide.”

Directed by Julien Daubas and Lucas Pinatel, Oggy and the Cockroaches’s ninth season cements its status as one of the longest running French animated series and returns to the core elements that made the series a global success – led by the inventive and explosive rivalry between Oggy and the cockroaches. Commissioned by returning broadcaster France Télévisions, the new season (78×7’) is slated for delivery between Q3 2027 and Q2 2028, in celebration of the franchise’s 30th anniversary in 2028. Oggy and the Cockroaches is available in over 190 territories and has a digital fanbase spanning 32M YouTube subscribers and 18B views, plus 22M subscribers across Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat.

Xilam recently greenlit two new seasons of non-dialogue slapstick comedy Zig & Sharko, with longstanding partner Gulli (France) returning to commission the fifth and sixth instalments. The new seasons of 52 x 7’ are set to deliver in 2027 and 2028 respectively. The series celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2025 and is Xilam’s most established IP on YouTube, with over 39M subscribers and 23B views across eight dedicated channels worldwide – as well as 2.8M subscribers on TikTok, 3.9M on Facebook, and 765K on Snapchat. Seasons five and six, directed by Andrès Fernandez, will follow a summer vacation theme, with each season exploring the main characters’ idea of a perfect getaway – Zig in season five and Marina in season six.

Chickies is the upcoming spin-off to Xilam’s hit short-form series Where’s Chicky?, a global YouTube hit generating over 2.5B views a year and available on leading international broadcasters, including in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and more, across SVOD, FVoD and AVoD platforms. Set to deliver by June 2027, the new 78 x 7’ CG-animated series, directed by Cédric Diestsh and Anh Tu Cao, has previously pre-sold to France Télévisions. It follows Chicky, Bekky and Poyo, three curious and cheerful chicks who have had enough of being cooped up, and introduces adorable new characters known as the ‘Chicklets’. The four seasons of Where’s Chicky? have seen an extraordinary digital success, with the series cumulating 9B views and 12M subscribers on YouTube, as well as 6M subscribers across its social media accounts.

La entrada Xilam Lands International Presales for Animated Catalog se publicó primero en TTV News.

The new installment of the iconic animated series will consist of 78 seven-minute episodes and is set to premiere between 2027 and 2028, coinciding with the franchise’s 30th anniversary.

Xilam Animation announced the production of a ninth season of its iconic animated series Oggy and the Cockroaches, in collaboration with French public broadcaster France Télévisions. The new installment will consist of 78 seven-minute episodes and is scheduled to be delivered between Q3 2027 and Q2 2028, coinciding with the franchise’s 30th anniversary, which will be celebrated in 2028.

Created in 1997 by Jean-Yves Raimbaud and developed for more than two decades by author and director Olivier Jean-Marie, the series has become one of the longest-running French animated productions. Including its spin-offs, the franchise now exceeds 700 episodes.

Season nine will be directed by Julien Daubas (Oggy and the Cockroaches: The Movie, Asterix and Obelix: The Big Fight) and Lucas Pinatel (Zig & Sharko, Submarine Jim). According to the studio, the new episodes will return to the core elements that made the series a global success, centered on the rivalry between Oggy and the cockroaches Marky, Dee Dee, and Joey.

The production will maintain the dialogue-free comedy format that defines the franchise, while introducing new situations and a more dynamic comedic pace.

Distributed in more than 190 territories, the series is available across free-to-air TV, pay TV and digital platforms. The franchise has also built a strong online presence, with more than 32 million YouTube subscribers and 17 billion accumulated views, as well as 20 million followers across its social media platforms.

“The series has been one of our most iconic creations for almost three decades,” said Marc du Pontavice, founder and CEO of Xilam Animation. “We are proud to open a new chapter alongside France Télévisions, which originally commissioned the series 30 years ago. This new season stays true to the spirit of the show, but with renewed energy and even stronger comedic timing.”

La entrada Xilam Animation to Produce Ninth Season of Oggy and the Cockroaches se publicó primero en TTV News.

Upcoming adventure comedy series heads to BBC, RTS, RTBF, VRT, NPO, YLE, NRK, Noga, and Warner Bros. Discovery.

Xilam Animation, Academy Award-nominated French animation studio, has inked a fresh wave of international pre-sales for Submarine Jim, its new 52 x 11’ 2D adventure comedy series which is scheduled to complete delivery in June 2026.

With premieres commencing via select partners in March 2026, the new free-to-air deals secured by Xilam include the BBC (UK and Ireland), RTS (French-Switzerland), RTBF and VRT (Belgium), NPO (Netherlands), YLE (Finland), NRK (Norway), Noga (Israel), alongside Warner Bros. Discovery in EMEA, Latin America, Southeast Asia and South Korea.

Targeted at kids aged 6-9 years, Submarine Jim was created by Frédéric Martin – the acclaimed director behind Xilam’s hit preschool series Oggy Oggy – and was previously pre-sold to France Télévisions (France) and Super RTL (Germany). The series delves into the tale of a naive, young dolphin named Jim, who when tasked with steering the world’s first-ever submarine on wheels, leads a motley crew of underwater friends on a whirlwind journey across the continents.

Their water-filled tube has left the ocean to seek out an unlikely destination, the fabled pristine waters of a place called… Las Vegas. Luckily, with no set route in sight, their journey promises to be a long and winding one. Along the way, as they embark on their mission and navigate plenty of twists, Jim will be torn between his captain responsibilities and fun times with his best friends: Bianca, the daring orca and the ever-reliable ship steward, Cyril the anchovy. Together, they navigate the choppy waters of friendship and self-discovery.

These new deals follow the recently announced sales and launch of Xilam’s CG preschool proprietary series Piggy Builders – commissioned by BBC (UK), France TV (France), ZDF (Germany). In 2025, the series sold to RTS and RSI (Switzerland), Warner Bros Discovery (Italy), YLE (Finland), Ketnet (Belgium), SVT (Sweden), HRT 3 (Croatia), MTVA (Hungary), Télé-Québec (Canada), LTV (Latvia), Mediacorp (Singapore), Noga (Israel).

Safaa Benazzouz, EVP Distribution at Xilam Animation, said: “Since we were first introduced to Frédéric’s vision for Submarine Jim, we knew it had all the ingredients to captivate broadcasters and audiences alike – with laugh-out-loud comedy, an unforgettable crew of characters and plenty of fun twists and turns along the way. Following our recent success with Piggy Builders, it’s fantastic to now be welcoming an array of leading broadcasters from across the globe for another of our original creations in this challenging market. We look forward to diving into the show’s international roll-out and introducing audiences to the hilarious adventures of Jim and his underwater friends.”

La entrada Xilam Animation’s Submarine Jim Sets Sail with Global Broadcasters se publicó primero en TTV News.

The new kids safe app features 1,000+ episodes from Xilam’s hit series alongside exclusive music, games and storybooks.

Xilam Animation, Academy Award-nominated French animation group, has launched today Toon Box – a brand new, kids safe streaming app featuring over 1,000 pieces of content from across its legacy library and new series, alongside an exclusive range of videos, activities, storybooks and games.

Aimed at children aged 3-10 years old, the subscription-based and ad-free app is currently rolling out across 11 territories (the UK, the US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, India, Mexico, Brazil, Australia) and will initially be available on iOS before also launching on Android devices next year.

Across its brands, Xilam already benefits from a strong digital fan base with 125 million subscribers across YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and SnapChat globally.

Toon Box will cater to the whole family featuring some of the most iconic series from Xilam’s catalogue including Oggy and the Cockroaches, Zig & Sharko, Where’s Chicky?, Mr Magoo, The Daltons, Lupin’s Tales, Paprika, and more. Episodes will also be available to download and watch offline, and Xilam will update the app with new content each month.

To access the full Toon Box offering, new subscribers will benefit from a free first month and can choose between two offers: a monthly subscription with no commitment, or an annual subscription.

Marc du Pontavice, CEO & Founder at Xilam, said: “The digital space has always been a cornerstone of Xilam’s strategy, and we’ve now established a very wide audience across multiple platforms and touchpoints. The launch of Toon Box is a significant milestone in our approach as we go direct to consumers for the first time – offering an ad-free, safe and engaging environment for fans to enjoy our extensive portfolio in one convenient and trusted place. Thanks to its smooth user experience, intuitive navigation and high-quality visual design, Toon Box will offer every member of the family a new way to learn and have fun within the world of Xilam.”

La entrada Xilam Group Launches First Streaming Platform, Toon Box se publicó primero en TTV News.

The animation studio’s EVP of Distribution spoke with ttvnews at Mipcom about the latest additions to its children’s animation catalog for the international market.

Produced by Luis Cabrera, from Cannes, France

After its appearance at Mip Junior, Xilam Animation continued its week in Cannes with a new edition of Mipcom, where it is presenting the latest additions to its animated series catalog.

“There’s a search for content, for comedy, with new characters. And I think we have the new ingredients to turn it into a market that looks for familiar things and new, original things,” Safaa Benazzouz, EVP, Distribution, Xilam Animation, began in a conversation with ttvnews.

“We have a program for kids ages 6 to 10, Submarine Jim, and for the preschool target group, ages 3 to 6, we have Piggy Builders, which we are currently finishing production on. It was commissioned by the BBC, France TV, and ZDF,” the executive emphasized.

“And now we’ve closed many deals after announcing it in September. It’s the tale of The Three Little Pigs, which is familiar to everyone, but with a new, more modern take on construction, with a universal theme,” she added.

Piggy Builders introduces the adorable trio, Cornelia, Cesar, and Charlie, charismatic siblings with curly tails, as they pursue their passion for construction, day after day. They share a deep love for building, problem-solving, and their wonderful community in Fine Forest. And there’s something else they have in common: they all have a lot to learn about teamwork.

In Submarine Jim, a naive young dolphin named Jim finds himself in charge of navigating the first submarine on wheels. Jim joins his motley crew of underwater friends on their journey across land and sea. His water-filled snorkel has left the ocean in search of an unlikely destination: the crystalline waters of “Fishland.” Fortunately, with no clear route in sight, his journey promises to be long and winding.

La entrada Safaa Benazzouz, Xilam Animation: “We’re presenting Submarine Jim and Piggy Builders” se publicó primero en TTV News.

Secures Presale with France Télévisions for spin-off to hit franchise Where’s Chicky?.

Academy Award®-nominated French animation group Xilam has greenlit its brand-new comedy series Chickies, a spin-off from its hit short-form, non-dialogue comedy Where’s Chicky?, following the signing of its first pre-sale with broadcaster France Télévisions (France). Currently in production, the 78 x 7’ CG-animated verbal series is aimed at kids aged 4-7 years old and is set to deliver by June 2027.

Chickies follows Chicky, Bekky and Poyo, three curious and cheerful chicks who have had enough of being cooped up. Boring! Any chance they get, they slip away to explore the world outside the henhouse. Objects, animals, flowers, scents… everything around the henhouse and on the farm is like a magnet attracting them. It’s irresistible, because curiosity is written into the DNA of our trio! Venturing into this vast world becomes a true adventure, with the chicks’ naivety inevitably leading to hilarity and a series of disasters.

The four seasons of Where’s Chicky? have seen an extraordinary digital success, with the series cumulating 7 billion views and 10 million subscribers on YouTube, as well as six million subscribers across its dedicated social media accounts on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.

Xilam has previously secured partnerships for Where’s Chicky? with leading international broadcasters, including in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and more, across SVOD, FVoD and AVoD platforms. On Okoo, France TV’s FVOD platform dedicated to children, the series is among the top 10 ranking in 2024 and 2025.

Marc du Pontavice, CEO & Founder at Xilam, said: “The world of Where’s Chicky? has brought viewers joy, education, and humor for over 10 years, and it’s one of our most popular IP across both traditional broadcasters and digital channels. For us, it’s a natural step forward to expand the universe with Chickies and bring a longer-form, dialogue-driven series to global audiences – and it’s fantastic to have our trusted partner France Télévisions on board to bring this to life. We’re sure both new and existing fans will be highly entertained by the fresh and extended adventures of our cute and mischievous characters.”

La entrada French Group Xilam Greenlights Animated Comedy Chickies se publicó primero en TTV News.

Safaa Benazzouz, EVP of Distribution at Xilam Animation, spoke to ttvnews about the importance of creating content that resonates with kids and families all over the world; the challenges and producing content in today’s landscape; and the latest additions to their catalog for the international market.

With tighter budgets and higher competition, broadcasters and platforms are looking for titles that are guaranteed for success, minimizing risks and betting on known IPs that can engage audiences on a large scale.

What it takes for content to connect with young viewers on a global scale is something Xilam Animation knows very well, as they specialize on programming that combines education and entertainment, and more importantly, content that brings families together with stories that resonate around the world.

For instance, Xilam’s well-known slapstick, non-dialogue comedy titles transcend language barriers, giving it universal appeal across global audiences, with shows such as Oggy and the Cockraoches or Zig & Sharko already beloved by kids all over the globe.

In the following interview with ttvnews Safaa Benazzouz, EVP Distribution at Xilam Animation, talks about the latest additions to the company’s catalog for the international market, her outlook on the latest trends and challenges in kids’ content production, and Xilam’s commitment to creating original IPs that resonate with kids and families across cultures, languages and territories.

What is your current vision of the children’s content industry? What do you think will be the main trends in terms of genres and productions for 2025?

The children’s content industry is evolving rapidly, with the continued rise of VOD consumption as well as cuts to commissioning, meaning that producers and distributors need to diversify their strategies and offerings to stand out in the market. In terms of genres, programming that combines education and entertainment continues to be attractive for buyers, as well as content that the whole family can watch together.

What are the main challenges of producing children’s content today? What do you look for when selecting projects for your catalog?

The current commissioning landscape for kids TV has made it more difficult to create new and original brands – as such, we and other producers are having to take fewer risks in our development, and are seeing that brands that are based on known IP like Piggy Builders are standing out. Our existing, flagship brands such as Oggy and the Cockraoches and Zig & Sharko are also continuing to see popularity – for example, this year we signed a large package deal with Sony Yay! in India for Oggy, and are continuing to see strong sales across our non-dialogue catalogue series.

One of the core themes across our catalogue is content that brings families together with stories that resonate around the world, with a strong focus on slapstick comedy – so when selecting projects, we’re looking for programming that really complements our existing slate whilst bringing something new and fresh. We’re also continuing to bet on new concepts such as Submarine Jim, our upcoming 2D-animated adventure-comedy series that follows the adventures of a naïve young Dolphin named Jim who is put in charge of navigating the first-ever submarine on wheels!

What are the star titles in your current catalog for the international market?

We’re highlighting our upcoming series Piggy Builders, a modern retelling of the Three Little Pigs that was commissioned by BBC, France TV and ZDF, and is a great example of the new ways that we are financing series – by having multiple commissioners come together to greenlight a project. We also have 2D animated series Submarine Jim coming up, which is a new adventure-comedy series that we presold to France TV and Super RTL last year, and are spotlighting our environmental comedy Buddybot, which has the important message of saving the planet at its heart. In addition, our beloved brands Zig & Sharko and Where’s Chicky are long-running favourites in our catalogue, which we’re continuing to sign new and returning broadcast partners for around the world.

Unlike previous generations, who accessed content only on linear television, having content available whenever and wherever they want is the norm for today’s children. How do you think the evolution of streaming has changed the business of distributing children’s content?

The rapid increase of VOD consumption in today’s children is certainly changing the way content is commissioned and distributed. It’s becoming more difficult for creators to produce new content as the algorithms on VOD platforms tend to serve viewers content they already know and have already been consuming. It’s vital for the animation community to come together and amplify the voices of original creators – and from a distribution perspective, to use successful original series like Bluey as examples of how new titles can break through. We have also been active in the past decade on all social media platforms by creating dedicated pages and accounts for our heroes, and are now counting a total of eight million subscribers across these platforms. From Facebook, Snap, TikTok and of course Instagram, kids are everywhere!

In this sense, which platforms and territories do you currently work with? In which regions do you see the greatest potential for growth for your content?

Our slapstick, non-dialogue comedy transcends language barriers, giving it universal appeal across global audiences, and we’re seeing a particular appetite for this in the Central and Eastern Europe and Asia Pacific regions. Viewers and broadcasters are looking for new seasons of our hit series like Oggy & the Cockroaches, Zig & Sharko and Karate Sheep, as slapstick comedy is a reliable and comforting genre that is a safe bet for broadcasters, especially non-verbal series such as these that travel so well.

We work with a large range of broadcasters, including both public and commercial channels, as we have a large range of programming that appeals to different types of platforms. We’re also specifically seeing strong interest in our 3D programming such as Oggy & the Cockroaches spin-off Oggy Oggy from clients that are looking for this type of programming. Our content certainly has a huge potential for further growth in these regions.

In addition, our in-house digital strategy allows us to reach all continents, and across the 70 YouTube channels we distribute, millions of views are coming from the USA & Latin America.

How do you see the evolution of children’s content and younger audiences in the coming years?

The continuing rise in popularity of VOD platforms and the ways in which their platforms highlight and promote content that is continually successful means that we’re likely to see more content based on or around known IP, as well as spin-off programming from well-loved brands. Kids have so much content at their fingertips, it’s all about finding new ways to reach them based on their content consumption trends and platform preferences – and working together to bring them a wide range of stories and perspectives.

La entrada Xilam Animation: Stories for the whole family se publicó primero en TTV News.

Cécile Hergaux-Essame upped to General Manager of Cube Creative, Caterina Gonnelli-Linden to Chief Content Officer and Guillaume Jallot to Chief Technical Officer.

Xilam Animation, an independent animation production and distribution company, announces the promotions of Cécile Hergaux-Essame to General Manager of the Xilam Group’s subsidiary, Cube Creative; Caterina Gonnelli-Linden to Chief Content Officer (CCO) and Guillaume Jallot to Chief Technical Officer (CTO).

A new energy for Cube Creative studio:

Following the departure of Lionel Fages and Majid Loukil, the founders of Cube Creative, Xilam has upped Cécile Hergaux-Essame to the position of General Manager of this subsidiary company, which Xilam acquired in January 2020. Hergaux-Essame has held the position of Production Manager at Cube Creative for six years and then as Head of Xilam Group’s studios for a year. In this new role, she will be supervising current productions and developing new properties for the company, as well as securing premium projects from third parties. Hergaux-Essame will report into Marc du Pontavice, President of Xilam and Cube Creative.

Cécile Hergaux-Essame is a graduate of Gobelins (LGPA) and started her career working on internationally recognised programmes such as Totally Spies, before joining Cube Creative in 2014 as Director of Productions and then becoming Studio Director, overseeing both internally produced projects, such as Kaeloo, Athleticus, Tangranimals, Pfffirates, as well as third-party titles including Mush-Mush for La Cabane and Brawl Stars for Supercell.

The creation of a content division for Xilam’s studio headed by Caterina Gonnelli-Linden:

Caterina Gonnelli-Linden joined Xilam in 2020 as Head of Editorial, with a goal of steering the continuing growth of Xilam’s portfolio. She now takes on the role of Chief Content Officer (CCO) for a newly created content division, which will bring together several departments: literary development, graphic development and the management of editorial supervisors.

Caterina will be responsible for sourcing all of Xilam Group’s content, including editorial supervision of both development and production, and she will be the first point of contact for the group’s clients across these services. She reports into the President of Xilam, Marc du Pontavice.

Prior to Xilam, Caterina Gonnelli-Linden held a number of positions, including Director of Development and Line Producer at various independent French production companies. In 2012, she joined The Walt Disney Company, where she managed acquisitions and co-productions for the French market, before extending her remit to include pre-buy and co-productions in EMEA for Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior, and identifying and negotiating content developed by third party producers.

Xilam’s Technical and IT services regrouped within a single department under the leadership of Guillaume Jallot:

Since joining Xilam in 2019, Guillaume Jallot has propelled the company’s use of 3D animation technology to the highest level, notably with the development of Oggy Oggy and Karate Sheep. In his new role of Chief Technical Officer (CTO), Jallot is leading a newly formed department which brings together the R&D, IT and technical departments. He will be responsible for managing the group’s technological investments and strategy, with the goal of offering Xilam’s talent the most effective and ergonomic tools to drive innovation at each stage of production. He will report to Dorothée Lanchier, COO of the Xilam Group.

A DNSEP graduate from the Beaux-Arts d’Angers, Guillaume Jallot began his career as a 3D animator and has since held numerous positions in animation production. After five years as technical director at Moonscoop, he managed the Ellipses studio in Angoulême for two years before joining Xilam to lead the development of 3D production expertise at the company’s Angoulême site.

Marc du Pontavice said: “Through these three very well-deserved promotions, we are structuring our organisation and positioning ourselves to respond creatively and reliably to the evolving demands of major digital platforms. We are pleased to entrust these responsibilities to these highly talented executives who have already proven themselves within the group over the past few years.”

La entrada Xilam Animation Announces New Senior Executive Promotions se publicó primero en TTV News.