Cartoon Saloon, Penguin Books and Dog Ears Announce 'Puffin Rock' Feature

It's a great time to be a fan of Oscar-nominated Irish studio Cartoon Saloon.  New films Wolfwalkers from Tomm Moore and My Father's Dragon from Nora Twomey are coming. And now we know that a third new feature from the studio is in the works.

Pre-school series Puffin Rock is Cartoon Saloon's first TV show that has been a big hit around the world- not least on Netflix, and on Tencent in China. The series has been so popular in the middle kingdom that the Chinese Nebula Group (CNB) has come on board as a co-producer of the series's first big screen spin-off as part of a new co-production partnership.

The Puffin Rock Movie  will see Oona work with her friends to save the island "in an action-packed story which celebrates our magnificent natural environment, and features themes of belonging, courage and friendship." Past Cartoon Saloon features have been co-produced with studios in continental Europe and Canada, but Puffin Rock will be produced in Cartoon Saloon's studio in Kilkenny,  at Dog Ears studio in Northern Ireland and CNB's studio in China. This will make it the first animated feature to be produced in Northern Ireland.

The film is to be funded by CNB, Screen Ireland and Northern Ireland Screen. 

Paul Young, Cartoon Network CEO says "I'm very happy that we are able to begin work on our Puffin Rock feature with our brilliant partners Dog Ears and China Nebula Pictures. There are a lot of kids hungry for some more adventures with Oona, Baba and Friends and we don't want to let them down! Our Movie has lots of laughs and thrills for younger viewers and for many we expect The Puffin Rock Movie will be their first cinema experience! "

The film is due for release in Spring 2021.


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