The Jim Henson Company Works with Paramount's Ananey Studios to Develop The Season Keepers, A New Animated Series Inspiring "Climate Hope"

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Jun 10, 2024, 13:00 ET

Craig Bartlett (Dinosaur Train, Hey Arnold!) Joins as Writer

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., June 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Jim Henson Company (Fraggle Rock, Apple TV+; The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, Netflix) and Paramount's Ananey Studios (Greenhouse Academy, Netflix; Spell Keepers, HBO Europe; Spyders, Nickelodeon International; Craft Party, CBBC) are introducing "climate hope" with The Season Keepers, a new 2D animated series for kids ages 6-12 and their families.

This modern-day fairy tale is inspired by Vivaldi's Four Seasons and welcomes viewers to connect to nature through a fantastical story filled with magical creatures. Twins Lia and Ben find their world and family unraveling when their parents' divorce sends them to their grandmother's small village for what's sure to be a snooze-fest of a spring holiday. Little do they know, they've landed in the middle of an epic battle between the seasons, where Lia discovers her gift to mediate between humans and The Nature Makers—a realm of magical creatures who are the guardians of nature itself. Lia must harness newfound powers and solidify her sibling bond with Ben to mend family rifts, save their grandmother from an eternal slumber, and stop a group of vengeful Nature Makers from plunging the world into a perpetual winter.

Frequent Henson collaborator Craig Bartlett (Dinosaur Train, Sid the Science Kid) is attached as writer for the development of the series.

"From the minute Hila, Gili, and Shirley shared with us Bosmat Agayoff's gorgeous designs for her creation The Season Keepers, we knew this was the next fantasy world we wanted to explore at The Jim Henson Company," said Halle Stanford, President of Television at The Jim Henson Company. "At its heart, The Season Keepers is about the healing of a family and of the natural world around them. And this series about climate hope is wrapped up in a luxurious whimsical world filled with magical and never-before-seen creatures. To work with this extraordinary creative team from Israel is an honor; and then handing the story reigns over to Craig Bartlett ensures this adventure will captivate kids for generations."

"We couldn't be more excited about joining forces with the legendary Jim Henson Company, responsible for some of the most loved and known kids shows. In this modern-day animated fairytale, a breathtaking journey will intertwine magic, adventure, and heart to inspire young viewers everywhere," said Orly Atlas-Katz, CEO Ananey Paramount & EVP Paramount Israel

The Season Keepers is created and designed by Bosmat Agayoff (Where is Anne Frank?, Barbie Dreamtopia). Gili Dolev will direct the series. Lisa Henson and Halle Stanford will serve as executive producers for The Jim Henson Company and Orly Atlas-Katz will serve as executive producer for Ananey Studios. Gili Dolev, Hila Pachter, and Shirley Oran will also serve as executive producers.

About The Jim Henson Company
The Jim Henson Company has remained an established leader in family entertainment for over 65 years and is recognized as an innovator in puppetry, animatronics, and digital animation. The Company's most recent credits include the Oscar®-winning Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio for Netflix, the Emmy®-winning Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock for Apple TV+, and the feature film The Portable Door for MGM+. The Company is currently in post-production on a new reimagining of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day starring Eva Longoria and Cheech Marin for Disney+. Other television credits include Slumberkins, Harriet the Spy and Fraggle Rock: Rock On, all for Apple TV+, Word Party for Netflix, Earth to Ned for Disney+, and the Emmy-winning Netflix Original series The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Other TV productions include Dinosaur Train (PBS), Splash and Bubbles (PBS), Sid the Science Kid (PBS), and Julie's Greenroom (Netflix), as well as Fraggle Rock, The Storyteller, and the sci-fi series Farscape. Feature film credits include The Star (Sony Pictures Animation), Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (Disney), and the ground-breaking fantasy classics The Dark Crystal, and Labyrinth.

With additional locations in New York and London, The Jim Henson Company is headquartered in Los Angeles on the historic Charlie Chaplin lot, complete with soundstage and post-production facilities. The Company is home to Jim Henson's Creature Shop™, a pre-eminent character-building and visual effects group with international film, television, theme park and advertising clients, as well as Henson Recording Studios, one of the music industry's top recording facilities known for its world-class blend of state-of-the-art and vintage equipment. The Company's Henson Alternative credits include the feature film The Happytime Murders, and the popular live puppet improvisational show Puppet-Up! – Uncensored.

About Paramount's Ananey Studios
Paramount's Ananey Studios is an award-winning Tel Aviv based studio that develops and produces inventive content spanning a variety of genres and target demos from live-action preschool shows to high-concept dramas, kids' and teens' must-watch TV shows, sitcoms, animation, documentaries, lifestyle programs and formats.

Ananey Studios' content has reached major international platforms (including Netflix, Nickelodeon, MTV, CBBC, and HBO). We aim to promote the greatest talents and creative forces in the thriving Israeli market while maintaining the highest standards of production values.

SOURCE The Jim Henson Company