Shout! Factory And Studio 100 Media Announce Multi-Picture Deal For New Maya The Bee Feature Film Series

Shout! Factory, a multi-platform media company, and Studio 100 Media, an international production and distribution company for high-quality children’s entertainment, have expanded their successful distribution alliance with a new multi-picture deal for Studio 100’s upcoming Maya the Bee feature film series. The announcement was made today by Shout! Factory’s founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos; and CEO of Studio 100 Media, Patrick Elmendorff.

In this multi-picture deal, Shout! Factory has secured exclusive North American distribution rights to Maya the Bee movie sequels, including theatrical, video on-demand, digital, broadcast and home entertainment for cross-platform releases.  Shout! Factory plans a strategic rollout of the new films, beginning with the first sequel, (Maya the Bee 2 – The Honey Games) in 2017 through Shout’s kids & family entertainment imprint, Shout! Factory Kids.  Studio 100 Media and Shout! Factory will announce in-depth production details in forthcoming months.

Patrick Elmendorff, Studio 100 Media comments: “We are delighted to add this new chapter to Maya the Bee’s success story. We gladly renew our successful collaboration with our previous partner Shout! Factory for the next movies and hope that Maya’s brand-new adventures will entertain children and families in North America just like the first movie already did and still does.”

“We’re incredibly excited and honored that Studio 100 has chosen to partner with Shout! Factory on Maya the Bee film series. Over the last year, we enjoyed the continuing success and growing popularity of Maya the Bee – Movie with North American family audience,” stated Melissa Boag, Senior Vice President of Kids & Family Entertainment at Shout! Factory. “We look forward to bringing these exciting new films, starring the beloved character Maya, to a wide variety of entertainment distribution platforms.”

“Maya the Bee is not just a growing brand– it’s an extremely appealing feature film.  We know the further adventures of Maya will nail that same winning combination of excitement, humor and sweetness achieved by the first film, and we’re eager to help bring them to fans of all ages,” said Jordan Fields, Vice President of Acquisitions at Shout! Factory.

The 2014 animated feature Maya the Bee – Movie, based on the well-known children’s novel and popular animated series in Europe, Australia and Asia, offers an immersive cinematic adventure into a spectacular insect world. This globally popular animated feature brings to life an enchanting story of a little bee named Maya and her exciting adventure of self-discovery and fantastical fun. Directed by Alexs Stadermann and produced by Studio 100 Media and Buzz Studios in association with Flying Bark Productions, Maya the Bee – Movie features the acclaimed voice talent of Coco Jack Gillies, Academy Award® nominee Jacki Weaver, Miriam Margolyes, Richard Roxburgh, Noah Taylor, Kodi Smit-McPhee and Justine Clarke.

About Studio 100 Media

Studio 100 Media is a 100 percent subsidiary of Belgian firm Studio 100 NV.  Based in Munich, Germany, Studio 100 Media is an international production and distribution company for high-quality and non-violent children’s entertainment. It develops and acquires new formats and is also responsible for the global marketing of its own rights portfolio as well as of third party programming. Studio 100 produces animation feature films for worldwide distribution. In 2012 the company extended its business with its own sales agency of motion pictures Studio 100 Film, a subsidiary of Studio 100 Media. The first project was the 3-D German/Australian co-production Maya The Bee – First Flight. Further brands under the Studio 100 Media umbrella include ‘Heidi’ and ‘Vic The Viking’. In addition to the licensing business Studio 100 Media is responsible for all marketing activities and for the development of home entertainment products in GAS.