Netflix has picked up Xilam Animation’s CG-animated preschool series Oggy Oggy, based on its popular franchise Oggy and the Cockroaches. The series will be Netflix’s first animated original from France, as well as Xilam’s first CG-animated series. Aimed at kids two- to six-years-old the new show sees the anthropomorphic cat Oggy living and adventuring in a fantasy world full of other cats. Xilam is retaining second window global linear TV distribution and merchandising rights for the series.

The budget for the new series is around US$20 million, and the deal with Netflix covers two seasons (both 78 x seven minutes). Delivery is expected 2021, according to a spokesperson for the Paris producer.  Xilam’s CEO Marc Du Pontavice told Kidscreen in April that the studio plans to use Oggy Oggy as a way to spearhead its move into CG and 3D animation.

Oggy and the Cockroaches is a 20-year-old franchise first launched in 1998, which sees Oggy battling three annoying cockroaches. The animated series has aired on Gulli and Canal J in France, as well as Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon and Disney Channel in various territories.

This isn’t the first time Netflix has partnered with Xilam. The global SVOD teamed up with the prodco in May when it grabbed worldwide streaming rights to Xilam’s 2D- and 3D-animated film I Lost My Body (streaming on Netflix November 29). The teen and adult-skewing animated film about a hand trying to return to its owner is dominating the awards circuit and was submitted to the Academy Awards for consideration in the best animated feature category.

Xilam secured US$26-million in funding from investors last June and has since made moves to grow its staff, prep global expansion and build up its kids and family slate. The studio tapped Manya Zhou to the newly created role head of business development for China to create partnerships and build awareness of its IPs in the region, brought on Charles Courcier to the newly created position of head of digital production to bolster its YouTube, and brought on former Asmodee brand developer Capucine Humblot to develop licensing and merchandising for Oggy Oggy and the studio’s other properties.

On the production side, Xilam partnered with Disney to produce a non-verbal reboot of Chip ‘n’ Dale set for global release as a Disney+ original. The 39 x seven minute series features the chipmunk brothers living in a big city. All aspects of production, including scripting and graphic design are being handled by Xilam in collaboration with Disney.

The popularity of the studio’s original slate is also growing with comedy series Lupin’s Tales (78 x seven minutes) being one of the most screened projects at MIPJunior earlier this month. The animated series targets upper preschoolers and follows a wolf-cub who goes on adventures and dreams of being a hero.