Emmy Award-winning French animation company Dandelooo has been commissioned by Canal+ to produce a new 2D animated series titled Max & Rabbit (Max & Lapin). The series, based on the popular French children’s books by Astrid Desbordes and illustrated by Pauline Martin, is set to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2025. Aimed at children aged 3-5, the show will consist of 26 episodes, each lasting five minutes.
The series will follow the adventures of four-and-a-half-year-old Max and his beloved rabbit as they navigate everyday situations from a child’s perspective. The show is designed to help young viewers deal with emotions, encouraging them to listen, accept, verbalize, and find fun solutions to the small problems they may encounter in their daily lives.
The title is based on the best-selling “Max & Lapin” books, which have become a favorite among young readers in France and abroad. To date, 13 titles have been published, with translations available in numerous countries, including China, Italy, Israel, Poland, Greece, and Korea. The books are known for their modern look and gentle humor, qualities that the new series aims to bring to life on screen.
Production for Max & Rabbit will begin in September 2024 at Dandelooo’s animation studio, Ooolala, located in La Cartoucherie, Valence, France. The series will be directed by Clément Céard, known for his work on To Be Sisters and as the animation director for Boyster. Dandelooo will handle the worldwide distribution of the series, ensuring that Max and his rabbit reach audiences across the globe.
Emmanuèle Pétry, Producer and Head of International at Dandelooo, expressed excitement about the project, stating, ‘With this new commission, we are thrilled to continue the creative collaboration for this beautiful IP with Nathalie Leffray and Christine Cauquelin from Canal+, building on the great teamwork established during the production of the serialized fantasy series The Upside Down River’.Christine Cauquelin, Director of Programs and Channels for Documentaries, Youth, and Animation at Canal+, shared her enthusiasm for the collaboration, saying, Canal+ is thrilled to start a new collaboration with the Dandelooo team. The Max & Lapin books by Astrid Desbordes and Pauline Martin have conquered our hearts thanks to their modern look and the soft tongue-in-cheek tone that brings humor. We believe the series will fully match our desire to tell stories to the youngest because the characters are kind, smart, and a bit mischievous. We have no doubt that our audience will love this new series’.
