Epic Story Media Distribution has picked up global sales rights to a popular digital-first series called Silly Crocodile, and it plans to take this YouTube hit to the next level.

The CG-animated preschool series is about a friendly croc who plays games, discovers new things and has typical kid experiences (like visiting the doctor and learning to cope when he has a bad day). There are more than 30 short videos (five to 10 minutes long) featuring the character on creator Cory Williams’ Just for Kids YouTube channel, which boasts 900,000 subscribers and roughly a billion views.

The series’ animation style, universal appeal and established audience make Silly Crocodile ripe with broadcast deal potential, says Epic president and CEO Ken Faier. It also helps that there’s a lot of humor, and that Williams is so passionate about his IP, he adds.

The first Silly Crocodile video debuted on YouTube in 2019. It all started as an approved user-generated content project that featured his croc promoting a Peppa Pig toy line, but the character’s popularity motivated Williams (who wears many hats, including producer, animator and narrator) to develop original storylines. He doesn’t have a background in animation, so he uses Unreal Engine 5 to produce the series.

Epic Story Media Distribution will be at MIP Junior and MIPCOM (in the Canadian pavilion) to introduce Silly Crocodile to the market.