Montreal and Madrid-based distribution company Pink Parrot Media has acquired the worldwide rights for two new projects ahead of the European Film Market (EFM).

First is the animated feature Ultraduck (pictured) from Burnaby, B.C.-based Arcana Studio. The film is currently in production and is expected to be delivered in Q4 2025. It is based on the graphic novel of the same name from Marvel artist Edgar Delgado.

The film follows a smooth-talking business duck who, through a series of strange events, ends up as the superhero Ultraduck.

Pink Parrot Media has also acquired the live-action film Graduation Heist from Polish director Mikołaj Piszczan. The feature is produced by Poland’s Laniakea Pictures with Ekipa Holding and Watchout Studio co-producing. The Polish Film Institute is a co-financer.

Graduation Heist, written by Łukasz Zdanowski and produced by Anna Zychowicz and Mateusz Kowalczyk, follows a high school senior who wants to hack his and his friends’ exam results so they can stay together for another year. The film is having its Polish theatrical release beginning Feb. 28 via Polish distributor Next Film.

Pink Parrot Media is bringing both films to EFM which begins today (Feb. 13) and runs until Feb. 19.

Kazoo Films

Kazoo Films, the newly formed distribution arm of U.K. and Ireland-based Cantilever Media, has acquired the U.K. rights for Toronto-based Copperheart Entertainment’s animated feature Night of the Zoopocalyse.

The acquisition is part of a new strategic alliance between Kazoo and the film’s U.S. distributor Viva Pictures. The companies plan to jointly acquire animated features for family audiences with distribution handled in their respective regions.

The film is directed by Mexican-Canadian filmmaker Rodrigo Perez-Castro and Toronto-based House of Cool co-founder Ricardo Curtis. It is written by James Kee and Copperheart’s Steve Hoban and produced by Copperheart and France’s Charades Productions. It is coproduced by Belgium’s U Media in association with House of Cool.

Night of the Zoopocalyse is based on an original concept from English writer and filmmaker Clive Barker (Hellraiser).

Kazoo plans to release the film in the fall around Halloween. Night of the Zoopocalyse is distributed in Canada by Elevation Pictures,  has a Canadian theatrical release set for March 7.

9 Story Media Group

Toronto-headquartered 9 Story Media Group’s digital division has added 700 half-hours of Scholastic Entertainment content across a variety of VOD streaming platforms and YouTube.

This month, Animorphs (Protocol Entertainment) is launching on the Roku Channel in the U.S. and on Tubi in Canada, the U.S. and Australia.

The Magic School Bus (Nelvana) is also being released on Peacock in the U.S. this month. The animated series previously launched on Tubi in the U.S., Canada, Australia last July and on the Roku Channel in the U.S. last September.

Two other properties were previously launched by 9 Story as well. Goosebumps (Protocol Entertainment) released on the Roku Channel (U.S.) and Tubi (U.S., Canada, Australia) last Halloween and came to Peacock (U.S.) in December.

Clifford the Big Red Dog (Scholastic Productions, Mike Young Productions) and Clifford’s Puppy Days (Scholastic Productions, Mike Young Productions) launched on the Roku Channel (U.S.) and Tubi (U.S., Canada, Australia) last September. Clifford’s Really Big Movie (Scholastic Entertainment, Big Red Dog Productions, 2004) released on those services last November. All three Clifford titles launched on Peacock (U.S.) in January.

YouTube channels have also been created for shows such as Goosebumps, Clifford the Big Red Dog and The Magic School Bus as well as a channel for overall Scholastic properties. According to the release, the channels have gained a cumulative 112,000 subscribers since their launch.

Image courtesy of Pink Parrot Media