Lion Forge Entertainment & Nickelodeon Animation Ink First-Look Deal For Series & Features
11.07.2023 - 16:15
/ deadline.com
EXCLUSIVE: Lion Forge Entertainment, the company behind the Oscar-winning Hair Love, and Nickelodeon Animation are teaming on a first-look deal covering animated series and features, with a commitment to create content that features diverse voices in front of and behind the camera.
Under the pact, Nickelodeon Animation will have a first look at all Lion Forge Entertainment kids and family IP across animated series, features, short-form and digital content. The company also may bring select Nickelodeon and Paramount IP to Lion Forge to develop and produce.
Lion Forge Entertainment also will have the option to co-finance certain projects the company brings to Nickelodeon, as well as serve as the animation studio on select Nickelodeon projects.
Initial projects identified for potential development include Born Driven, a story based on the life of Wendell Scott, the first Black NASCAR driver; comedy adventure Iron Dragon, based on original IP created by Jay Kim at Mostapes studio in South Korea and Lion Forge; and Marley and the Family Band, an animated series based on Cedella Marley’s picture book, co-produced by Polygram Entertainment.
Lion Forge Animation, founded by the son of U.S. technology billionaire David Steward, was rebranded to Lion Forge Entertainment earlier this year. It is one of the very few Black-owned animation studios in North America and is recognized for diverse stories, authentically told. The Steward family, who control one of the U.S.’ largest Black fortunes, is aiming to raise up to $50 million to boost efforts to create racially diverse film and television content, Bloomberg reported, citing a person familiar with the plans.
Lion Forge aims to monetize its own IP to build franchises, as well as