Tiger Aspect Productions which is an Endemol Shine company has appointed Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific as the exclusive licensing agent for Mr Bean in Asia which is effect immediately.
Turner APAC’s dedicated licensing division, Cartoon Network Enterprises, will have to drive the licensing activity for Mr Bean for three years as well as represent the brand in key markets in Southeast Asia and India.
This comes just before the second edition of the Mr Bean The Animated Series will debut in APAC in April, as reported exclusively by AnimationXpress.com and will broadcast on channels Boomerang in Southeast Asia and Australia, CN in Japan and Pogo in India. This coincides with the 25th anniversary of Mr Bean as well.
The studio has continued to use 2D animation for the second season as well, but will be using a lot more technology support this time around as the earlier season had 500 animators working on the project which was made using completely hand drawn animation style.
Cartoon Network Enterprises Asia Pacific vice president Melissa Tinker said: “It is extremely exciting to be representing a brand with such a powerful presence in Asia. For a quarter of a century, audiences have been chuckling along to the antics of Mr Bean – and his famous teddy – and Rowan Atkinson’s unique creation has become a genuine global brand. It’s a perfect complement to our already strong portfolio.”
Mr Bean executive producer Katherine Senior added: “I am delighted that we have been able to strengthen our global relationship with Turner in Asia. I am really looking forward to working with the Cartoon Network Enterprises team to bring some fun and innovative Mr Bean products, and services to a region where Mr Bean is so hugely popular.”
The studio is currently working on delivering 26 episodes of 30 minutes each, which will then be used as 52 episodes over 11 minute capsules on the channels. And this time there would be over 1,500 facial expressions that Mr. Bean will have apart from over 570 handshake movements as well.