‘Abominable’ And ‘Megamind’ Spin-offs On Peacock’s Growing Kids’ Animation Slate
Peacock has unveiled a new slate of kids’ animation, including two new shows from Dreamworks Animation.
Both are based on features produced by the studio. In Megamind’s Guide to Defending Your City, a spin-off from Megamind (2010), the supervillian-turned-good guy becomes “the world’s first superhero influencer.”
Abominable and the Invisible City follows on from Abominable (2019), a co-production with China’s Pearl Studio. The series continues the story of Yi, Jin, and Peng, who “set out on extraordinary and heartfelt adventures throughout their city and beyond.”
Peacock has also picked up a trio other pre-school series — Press Start!, Team Mekbots: Animal Rescue, and Dino Pops — and ordered a second season of a fourth, the song-and-dance show Babble Bop!
Kids’ programming has been central to the animation strategy at NBCUniversal’s streaming platform so far. Dreamworks, its subsidiary, has supplied several shows, including Archibald’s Next Big Thing Is Here!, Cleopatra in Space, Where’s Waldo?, and Dragons Rescue Riders: Heroes of the Sky, which is based on the How to Train Your Dragon franchise.
In another boon to Peacock, most films from Universal Filmed Entertainment Group — including those from Dreamworks and Illumination — are coming to the platform as soon as 45 days after debuting in theaters.
Read on for more details of the new series, including official synopses:
Megamind’s Guide to Defending Your City
A follow-up to the hit movie, where Megamind goes from being a supervillain and the scourge of Metro City to a superhero who’s learning on the job. He’ll be bringing the audience along for the ride, as Megamind’s trusty brainbots will be recording everything, making him the world’s first superhero influencer.
Executive producer: Eric Fogel, Alan Schoolcraft, Brent Simons
Co-executive producer and story editor: JD Ryznar
Produced by: Dreamworks Animation
Abominable and the Invisible City
Through Everest the yeti, Yi, Jin, and Peng know that there’s a whole magical world out there, and now it’s even closer than they think! When they discover that their surroundings are teeming with magical creatures in need of their help, the kids will set out on extraordinary and heartfelt adventures throughout their city and beyond.
Executive producer: Jim Schumann
Co-executive producer: Katherine Nolfi
Story editor: Tiffany Lo, Ethel Lung
Produced by: Dreamworks Animation
Press Start!
Sunny and his sister Rue are all about the exciting, fast-paced world of the 24 KARAT QUEST video game. Athletic, brave, and funny, Super Rabbit Boy is the hero of this fantastical game world. When the siblings end up able to play in the game, their life is flipped upside down.
Based on the Press Start! book series written and illustrated by: Thomas Flintham
Executive producers: Pierre Sissmann, Dominique Bourse, Karen K. Miller, Scott Kraft
Story editor: Scott Kraft
Produced by: Cyber Group Studios
Team Mekbots: Animal Rescue
Four animal-loving kids from around the world use their tech skills to create giant Mekbots — each inspired by a different animal. In every adventure, the kids save animals all over the globe and show that teamwork, environmental smarts, and compassion make you a hero. Oh, and robotic animal powers help too!
Series creators: More Minds Studio
Executive producers: Rob Hudnut, Mads Munk
Story editor: Shane Amsterdam
Art director: Steed Sun
Produced by: M2 Animation
Supervising producer: Marianna Knaze
Dino Pops
Dino Pops is set in a vivid, hyper-realistic land inhabited by ferocious – and often silly – dinosaurs. While the landscape and dinosaurs may be prehistoric, modern elements familiar to kids, from ice cream cones to race cars, will burst onto the scene and delight viewers.
Series creator: Ailing Zubizarreta
Executive producers: Maria Benel, Ailing Zubizarreta, Nico Ferrero
Head writer: Matt Doyle
Produced by: Mobius Lab Kids, a Cisneros Media
Babble Bop!
With a mix of new takes on classic nursery rhymes and original songs, this inclusive short-form series is intended for social and emotional learning for the pre-k set.
Executive producers: Dan Fill, Raja Khanna
Producer: Christine Thompson
Directed by: Luke Jurevicius, Tim D.P. Thompson
Writer: Katherine Stanford
Produced by: Dark Slope
