MIPJUNIOR announced that a keynote “Innovating for the Future: The Miraculous Journey” address at the forthcoming market will be given by Andy Yeatman, the recently appointed CEO USA and global operations of Miraculous Corp, the new joint venture created to oversee unprecedented expansion plans for the globally acclaimed Miraculous franchise.
Miraculous Corp was unveiled earlier this year by leading European independent production and distribution powerhouse Mediawan led by Pierre-Antoine Capton, and ZAG, the innovative independent animation studio behind Miraculous which sees founder Jeremy Zag overseeing the development and creation of new storylines and characters within the franchise.
Yeatman will share ambitions and perspectives on Miraculous Corp and reveal more details of the global strategy including an early peek into the new line-up: TV movies, spin-off series, feature films, and new characters.
The session forms part of an overall theme for the 2024 MIPJUNIOR programme titled ‘Expand Your Playground’. Drawing on the Kids industry’s resilience and enduring ability to innovate and transform, sessions will address the ever-evolving challenges for the sector by hearing directly from pioneers and leaders, delving into new adaptive approaches and showcasing opportunities from creation to monetization across all screens.
The keynote marks the first speaking appearance for Yeatman since his appointment in June, having previously served as Head of Moonbug USA, (overseeing series including CoComelon and Blippi), and having founded and lead Netflix’s Kids’ Content department after a successful stint at the Walt Disney Studios. He will take to the stage at 12.00 on Saturday 19 October on the first full day of the forthcoming 32nd International Kids Screenings & Co-production Market (18-20 Oct 2024) in Cannes.
Created by Thomas Astruc, Nathanaël Bronn and Jeremy Zag and co-produced until now by ZAG and Mediawan Kids & Family, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir has to date played out across 150 territories since its debut in 2015 on various streaming and linear platforms such as Globo in Brazil, TF1 in France and Disney Channel, Disney+ and Netflix worldwide, where it is the number one animated series for non-preschool children. The French-animated sensation to date has five seasons, three TV movies and one feature film, Miraculous, The Movie, which stands as one of the most-watched French animated films worldwide. The highly anticipated superhero blockbuster was released during summer 2023 in theaters in select countries, reaching the #1 spot in France and Germany, and on Netflix worldwide, garnering over 35 million views in its first month. The 4th TV Movie and season 6 will be soon air worldwide. Season 7 of the series has already been announced, as has a second feature film.
Miraculous has a large and growing digital footprint, with over 40 billion views on YouTube and 33 million subscribers across its 17 official channels, over 702 million views on Tik Tok, 250+ million downloads on the app and 720+ million plays on Roblox to date, where it is the first TV IP to be brought to the platform. Miraculous has more than 400 licensing partners worldwide, collectively offering fans a wide range of ways to interact with the brand. Over 740 million products have been sold and retail sales have exceeded $1.5 billion worldwide.
Lucy Smith Director of MIPJUNIOR and MIPCOM Cannes praised the exec: “The Kids business is where original thinking and future-facing strategies begin. MIPJUNIOR keynote is the platform for leaders to share such thinking with their international peers. Andy is one of the most respected and insightful minds in the Kids business whose ambitions for the Miraculous franchise’s next era will undoubtedly be both fascinating and relevant industry wide," stated.
Andy Yeatman, CEO USA and global operations of Miraculous Corp understands that this is an opportunity to usher in a new era for the company: “I am delighted to be back for the first time as CEO of Miraculous Corp during this keynote at MIPJUNIOR. I have been a fan of the Miraculous franchise since its inception, and as we approach its 10th anniversary, I am proud to present our ambitions and the strategy we are implementing with Miraculous Corp to further expand this exceptional franchise with new heroes, villains and adventures. This keynote is a great opportunity to share a sneak peek into Miraculous franchise’s next era," noted.
MIPJUNIOR will again be held at the JW Marriot Cannes across the weekend preceding MIPCOM Cannes (21-24 October 2024) and is set to welcome delegates from over 60 countries - comprised of the most influential buyers, commissioners, producers, development executives, financiers and distributors from the global Kids TV industry. For the second year, MIPJUNIOR will open on Friday 18 October from 14.00