By Ryan Tuchow and Sadhana Bharanidharan

After another tumultuous year for getting projects off the ground, Kidscreen Summit 2026 starting this weekend promises to be a showcase for pent-up creativity and development. Here are a few of the standout new series sparking conversation and attracting early interest.

Catchapulko (pictured above)

Producers: Superprod Animation (France), Wheel in Motion (UK)
Target age: 5 to 8
Format: 78 x seven minutes
Style: CG animation
Budget: Around US$10 million
Status: The next step is securing broadcasters, as well as toy and licensing partners.
Delivery: 2028 

TV director Charles Vaucelle (Pat the Dog, Vet Academy) created this series about a rainbow-colored marsupial who lives in Venezuela’s Canaima National Park. An agent of chaos, Catchapulko’s antics frequently make him a target for predators like jaguars, capybaras, tamarins and otters. And his zany physical abilities let him leap, twist and bounce around the jungle with pure cartoon physics. But while Catchapulko is at ease among trees and rocks, he has an intense fear of water—which means he’s always in for a challenge when crossing a river or trying to escape a crocodile. The show’s slapstick focus should cater to growing global demand for non-verbal humor, and the team is looking at plush toys as a major licensing category for this playful creature.  

Pepper

Producers: Millimages (France), L’Incroyable Studio (France)
Target age: 6 to 9
Format: 52 x 11 minutes
Style: 2D animation
Budget: US$8.1 million
Status: A bible and three scripts are ready.
Delivery: Q4 2026

What if your dreams literally turned into reality? That’s what the protagonist of this original concept from Millimages deals with on a daily basis. Every morning, Pepper wakes up to find that some element of her dream has ended up in the real world. And that can be fun when it’s something cool (like living the pop star life), but it can also spiral into chaos when it’s something like her mom turning into a dragon. The fantasy premise also introduces a mysterious dream stone that can help Pepper reverse her enchantment—if she can figure out how to use it in time. Nicolas Le Nevé (Lupin’s Tales) is attached to direct the series, and Millimages will oversee distribution. Pepper is coming off a good showing at Cartoon Forum 2025, where its screening generated buzz and attracted the second highest number of buyers. 

Creatures of Sonaria  

Co-producers: Wind Sun Sky Entertainment (Canada), Striker Entertainment (US), Twin Atlas (US)
Target age: 8 and up
Format: 10 x 22 minutes
Style: 2D/CG animation
Budget: US$6 million
Status: A pitch, series bible and artwork are available, and a pilot script has been funded. The studio is now looking for financing, distribution and co-producers.
Delivery: Fall 2028

In Sonaria, young creatures battle for a chance to be crowned the fiercest fighter. This epic action-comedy is based on the mega-popular Roblox game of the same name, which has racked up 1.6 billion visits on the platform. This adaptation focuses on a scrappy dragon named Raven, who attends the least desirable school for battling in all of Sonaria. While undergoing difficult training, she makes friends, faces rivalries and engages in action-packed battles as she works to prove herself. In addition to fight scenes, the antics of Raven and her friends bring a dose of comedy into each episode, and a larger mystery about a looming threat to the world plays out across the season. Catherine Winder (Invincible, Star Wars: The Clone Wars) is an executive producer, and Michael Ryan (Wolfboy) is the showrunner. At the heart of this adventure is the message that even the smallest hero can make a big impact.

Family Mode

Producer: Igloo Animations (Ireland)
Target age: 4 to 6
Format: 52 x five minutes
Style: 2D animation
Budget: US$2.8 million
Status: There is a bible and one script available. Igloo has applied for Screen Ireland development funding—with a plan to develop a computer game simultaneously with the series—and it’s looking for co-producers, distributors and broadcasters.
Delivery: Q4 2028

Bluey meets Super Mario in this comedy about a family whose everyday challenges reach a new level of crazy because they live in a video game. In one episode, the floor turns into actual lava in a game of The Floor is Lava, while another about a trip to the supermarket ends in an epic battle against monster food. To level up from these wacky adventures, the family has to learn new skills—like teamwork and resilience—while dealing with video game elements like timers, rewards and power-ups. The gaming aesthetic of Family Mode makes it perfect for video game extensions, and Igloo (which recently delivered the series Holt to RTÉ) is aiming to develop a game in parallel with the series. 

Montgomery Bonbon 

Producer: Trustbridge Entertainment (US)
Target age: 6 to 14
Format: 10 x 22 minutes
Style: Live action
Budget: US$7 million to US$10 million
Status: In development, with a series bible and a pilot treatment available.  
Delivery: 2028

Montgomery Bonbon is reputed to be the world’s greatest detective. But the renowned sleuth has a big secret: Bonbon is actually an 11-year-old girl named Bonnie Montgomery, who dons a disguise—trench coat, fake moustache, etc.—to solve twisty mysteries that baffle most grown-ups. This live-action comedy adapts a book series from British stand-up comedian and writer Alasdair Beckett-King and illustrator Claire Powell that’s published by Walker Books (which is owned by Trustbridge). Bonbon solves a case in each episode, but a bigger mystery plays out across an entire season. (In season one, it’s a murder in a museum and the theft of a priceless statue.) Mark Oswin (Danger Mouse) is writing scripts and developing the series for TV. He’s focused on telling devilishly funny mystery stories that see smart kids running circles around foolish adults, along with some high stakes as Bonnie tries to protect her secret identity.

This story originally appeared in Kidscreen‘s Q1 2026 magazine issue.