ABC ME greenlights 13 new episodes alongside Mediacorp and the Australian Children’s Television Foundation

ABC ME greenlights 13 new episodes alongside Mediacorp and the Australian Children’s Television Foundation, with further acquisitions by CBBC, Family Channel, Super RTL and SVT

Sydney, AUS; Toronto, CAN; Singapore – July 26, 2021 – Australia’s A Stark Production and Canada’s WildBrain, together with Singapore’s Infinite Studios, are teaming up to co-produce a fourth season of the global hit animated series, The Deep.

Commissioning broadcaster ABC in Australia has greenlit 13 new half-hour episodes alongside Mediacorp, the Australian Children’s Television Foundation and with the support of Screen NSW bringing the total number to 65 half hours.

International broadcaster partners CBBC (UK), WildBrain’s Family Channel (Canada), Super RTL (Germany) and SVT (Sweden) have also already committed to the new season, building on the incredible success of the show to date.

Painting of a boy in a high-tech diving suit underwater interacting with a large sailfish

A Stark Production will handle scripting, storyboarding and design, and original music score, with WildBrain managing editorial, directors, voice recording and postproduction on the new episodes. Infinite Studios will oversee layout, animation, FX, lighting and composition.

Previous seasons of the internationally successful show have been sold to over 130 markets. The Australian Children’s Television Foundation handles distribution rights for Australia and New Zealand, with Infinite Studios managing rights for Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos and China. WildBrain oversees sales for the rest of the world.

Libbie Doherty, Head of Children’s for the ABC, said: “The Deep is an iconic ABC ME series, and we are delighted to announce the next instalment of the Nekton family’s epic underwater adventures. Our loyal fans have been patiently waiting for the next adventure full of non-stop thrills, amazing marine life and, of course, the inimitable spirit and humour that The Deep is famous for – no doubt the Nektons will continue to exceed all expectations! Our deepest thanks to all our local and global financing partners who are joining us again for more adventure.”

Avrill Stark, CEO of A Stark Production, said: “We’re excited to ‘set sail’ once again with the Nekton family in another action-packed season of The Deep, which is steeped in the mysteries of the ocean, the uncovering of myths and legends, the discovery of incredible sea creatures and, of course, where the Nektons will again cross paths with old friends and foes. We’re thrilled by the demand we’ve received for a fourth season from both established fans and networks around the globe.”

Katie Wilson, VP Channels and Curation, at WildBrain Television, said: “The Deep continues to go from strength to strength on Family Channel, constantly captivating its loyal fan base as well as drawing in new viewers, thanks to its graphic-novel pedigree and compelling storylines. We’re very happy that more thrilling underwater adventures are on the way and excited by what’s in store for the Nekton family in season four.”

Mike Wiluan, CEO of Infinite Studios, said: “The characters and ecological messages in The Deep resonate strongly with Infinite and MediaCorp, and we are excited to partner with A Stark Production and WildBrain in a new season of this beloved franchise, incorporating in season four elements from our region that showcase its marine biodiversity and legends linked to our rich maritime history.”

Sapna Angural, Head of English Audience, Mediacorp, said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with some of the most prominent names from across the globe on this exciting journey to bring the fresh new season of The Deep. This collaboration underscores the value we continue to place on content collaborations, and we are confident in the capabilities of Singapore’s creative team in delivering local stories that will resonate with the local and regional audience.”

In season four of The Deep, after searching for generations, the Nekton family have finally found the fabled city of Lemuria, unlocking secrets and tantalising mysteries. But the greatest discovery they’ve made is also the most shocking: proof that Ant and Fontaine’s grandparents made it to Lemuria! The Nektons had given up on ever seeing their loved ones again – but now they have hope. Now their most important search begins. While encountering more legends and myths, pirates and leviathans, the Nektons will explore The Deep…in search of their family.

Developed for a truly global audience of 8 to 12-year-olds, The Deep is based on the Aurealis Award-winning graphic novel series, which was created by multi-award-winning, best-selling comic book author and playwright Tom Taylor (Superman, Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Injustice: Gods Among Us, Wolverine, Iron Man, Batman: The Detective, Star Wars: Age of Resistance) and co-creator, artist James Brouwer (Justice League Beyond), and published by Wolfgang Bylsma and Skye Ogden’s Gestalt Comics.

About A Stark Production Pty. Ltd (ASP)

A Stark Production (ASP) is a Sydney-based Production Company and a leader in the creative development and production of quality children’s animation. ASP teams with global partners to deliver successful internationally co-produced shows. From its inception the company has been led by Avrill Stark, an independent and highly creative producer who has teamed with companies to produce hundreds of hours of series across a broad age range, preschool – teens. She has received many nominations and awards for outstanding animation: The Kidscreen Award for Best Kids Series, the prestigious UNICEF Award at Annecy, the Elan Award for Best Animated Television Production together with a BAFTA nomination and numerous nominations for the Australian Film Industry (AFI) Awards. ASP prides itself on the creation and development of TV series and feature films with a diverse appeal both in animation and live action for children. Above all, we make ‘having fun’ a priority in our pursuit of entertaining young audiences!

About WildBrain

At WildBrain we inspire imaginations to run wild, engaging kids and families everywhere with great content across all media. With approximately 13,000 half-hours of filmed entertainment in our library – one of the world’s most extensive – we are home to such brands as Peanuts, Teletubbies, Strawberry Shortcake, Caillou, Inspector Gadget, Johnny Test and Degrassi. At our 75,000-square-foot state-of-the-art animation studio in Vancouver, BC, we produce such fan-favourite series as The Snoopy Show, Snoopy in Space, Chip & Potato, Carmen Sandiego, Go, Dog. Go! and more. Our shows are enjoyed worldwide in more than 150 countries on over 500 streaming platforms and telecasters, and our AVOD business – WildBrain Spark – offers one of the largest networks of kids’ channels on YouTube, garnering billions of views per month from over 150 million subscribers. We also license consumer products and location-based entertainment in every major territory for our own properties as well as for our clients and content partners. Our television group owns and operates four family entertainment channels that are among the most viewed in Canada. WildBrain is headquartered in Canada with offices worldwide and trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: WILD). Please visit us at wildbrain.com.

About Infinite Studios

Infinite Studios is an integrated media entertainment and creative services company based in Singapore and Batam, Indonesia. Founded in 1997 with services that include post-production, visual effects, and animation, it has since evolved its business to include production services as well as content creation for the global digital media industry. Located at one-north Mediapolis, Infinite Studios is home to two of Singapore’s largest soundstages. Forty minutes away by ferry, Infinite Studios Batam houses another two soundstages and a 1-hectare film backlot. With a team of over 300 talented individuals, the animation studio offers international clients and partners a range of services from animation outsource work to collaboration and co-production opportunities for animated television series and feature films. With decades of experience, the CGI team comprises talents mainly from Indonesia and Singapore, supported by veteran supervisors with international experience. They are constantly up to date with ever-changing trends in technology, style, and application.