Blue Ant Studios-owned wildlife and nature brand Love Nature has revealed a new slate of original programming for its international linear and streaming channels, including Big Wave Productions’ follow-up to its successful marine title Deep Dive Australia.

The sequel series, Deep Dive North America (working title, 6 x 60 minutes) sees biologist Lizzie Daly (pictured) teaming up with a network of U.S.-based experts and research organizations to explore the rich diversity of North America’s marine life.

Also part of the slate are Snow Leopards with Dan O’Neill (w/t, 2 x 50 minutes; Off the Fence), which follows filmmaker and explorer Dan O’Neill as he tracks the elusive snow leopards through the mountains of Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia; and the one-off special Boss Shark (w/t, 1 x 60 minutes; WildBear Entertainment, Discovery), which centres on a team of shark specialists as they study the world’s largest and most accessible pack of Great White sharks off New Zealand’s Stewart Island.

WildBear is also behind the final title on the new slate, Wild Sky (w/t, 4 x 60 minutes) from veteran natural history filmmaker Dr. Chadden Hunter. The series traverses four continents, to capture weather systems such as the polar vortex and African dust storms, and study the animals that these skies both threaten and sustain.

Blue Ant Studios’ rights division will handle pre-sales and licensing of the new titles outside of their commissioning territories.

Pluto TV

Free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service Pluto TV has launched Indian network Viacom18’s DesiPlay TV, its first FAST Hindi-language general entertainment channel in Canada.

The channel’s lineup includes Bollywood films and Hindi shows, such as the Comedy Nights With Kapil, Mahakaali and Radha Prem Ki Deewani.

In a separate offering, the Paramount Global-owned service is expanding South Park universe on the platform with a new category dedicated to the animated show, starting this month.

The category will include a main South Park channel — available across all Pluto TV international markets —  as well as a series of South Park themed channels across Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Latin America and Australia.

Created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, South Park has been renewed on Comedy Central through 2027, taking the series to 30 seasons.

Last year, Paramount+ became the new home for South Park in Canada, with the show’s entire catalogue, including more than 300 episodes, movies and specials, available on the platform.

WildBrain CPLG

WildBrain’s licensing division has secured new cross-category partnerships for the Playmobil brand.

WildBrain CPLG has signed a deal with publisher HarperCollins for German-language books based on the brand’s Horses of Waterfall and Wiltopia franchises. Sony Music will also launch a German-language audiobook series based on Horses of Waterfall and Pirates toys to be distributed worldwide.

Other collaborations include a deal with Zara for apparel and accessories, including a t-shirt and sweatshirt. Lifestyle retailer, Spreadshirt, has launched branded items across apparel, accessories, paper products, kitchen accessories and home accessories.

WildBrain CPLG handles worldwide rights for the Playmobil brand on behalf of owner Horst Brandstätter Group.

With files from Realscreen

Image courtesy of Blue Ant Studios