Toon Factory to develop hybrid series "Virtual Past" by Cross River

Toon Factory has just negotiated the rights to "Virtual Past", a hybrid project pitched at Cartoon Forum in 2021 by Cross River, with its original authors Jean-François and Jacob Henry.

“I am delighted to announce the brand-new development of 'Virtual Past', a sitcom project about the paradoxes of our lives that navigates between the world of video games and the everyday life of an ordinary, present-day family. It is an innovative and hilarious project I have a lot of faith in,” said Thierry Berthier, founder and CEO of Toon Factory.

The series, which combines 3D animation and live action, is aimed at audiences of 10 years and upwards, and will consist of 12 episodes of 22 minutes. It will be co-written by a new team of writers and directed by Manu Joucla. The actor, comedian and director became known to audiences as a member of “Nous Ç Nous”, alongside Bruno Salomone, Eric Collado, Jean Dujardin and Eric Massot.

The graphic design of the characters in the animation sequences has been done by Yann de Préval ("Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart").
In "Virtual Past", on the instigation of 12-year-old Lucas, the Lambda family decide to take part in a new type of immersive video game, which uses all the senses, and become exclusive beta-testers. Thanks to virtual reality, they are propelled into the larger-than-life and frankly not so wonderful world of the Middle Ages!.