Cyber Group Studios, Paris and Los Angeles- based animation producer and distributor, has secured rights to Press Start!, Thomas Flintham’s book series published by Scholastic. Cyber Group Studios will adapt the book phenomenon into an animated TV series of 52 x 11-minute episodes.
Cyber Group Studios will develop and collaborate on this new animated series with Scott Kraft as executive producer. He will adapt the books for television and serve as head writer and story editor. “Press Start! has inspired many young kids to love reading books with its captivating storytelling and art. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with a great team that we have hand-picked to bring this popular book series to screens around the world,” commented Cyber Group Studios USA CEO Richard Goldsmith.
Since its debut in 2017, over 2 million copies of Press Start! have been sold in the United States, and the book series has been listed as a best-seller on the USA Today, Amazon, Publishers Weekly and BookScan lists. Winner of the prestigious Sheffield Children’s Book award, Flintham’s adventurous series of 12 books has truly captured the imagination of a new generation of avid readers with its unique graphic novel- style format.
Flintham added: “Since I was a kid, I’ve been a big fan of books, video games and animation, and I’m so excited that Press Start! is going to expand to cover three of my biggest passions. To see my work being turned into an animation is a childhood dream come true, and Super Rabbit Boy couldn’t be in safer hands than the super talented folks at Cyber Group Studios.”
‘Press Start!’ features an 8-year-old boy, Sunny, who lives in the real world but has the ability to participate side-by-side in the adventures of his hero in the video game world, Super Rabbit Boy, as they save the inhabitants from King Viking and other dastardly 8-bit villains.
Executive producer Scott Kraft said, “Thomas Flintham’s engaging characters and clever, fantastical Press Start! game-world are the perfect launching pad for an endless series of adventures. Super-excited to work with Cyber Group’s incredible artists to build an epic immersive video-game world for Sunny and friends to play in.”
Cyber Group Studios and Soyuzmultfilm have recently joined forces to create the first ever French and Russian label of animated programs Cyber Soyuz Junior, targeting the preschool audience around the world.