Paramount+ is betting the farm on beloved children’s book author Mo Willems with not one, but two TV adaptations of his illustrations.
“The Elephant & Piggie Show!” and “The Pigeon Show! Starring the Pigeon” have both received series orders, the streamer announced on Thursday. The animated shows will come from Hidden Pigeon Company.
“Mo Willems has delighted kids and ‘former kids’ around the world with these beloved characters,” Jane Wiseman, Head of Originals for Paramount+, said in a statement. “Whether it’s Elephant and Piggie navigating the hard work of ‘best-friending’ or the Pigeon confusing wants and needs (a hot dog! a cookie! to drive the bus!), these characters remind us that the best stories are the ones that make us laugh and feel something real. We’re thrilled to bring them to life on Paramount+.”
“We are so excited to be partnering with Paramount+ to further expand the world of Mo Willems through these two new series,” Karen K. Miller, CEO of Hidden Pigeon Company, added. “We can’t wait to present more of the characters and stories that kids everywhere already know and love in ways that will surprise and delight them at every turn.”
“The Elephant & Piggie Show!” is described as a “warm, comedic pre-K series about the hilarious and sometimes challenging work of ‘best-friending.’ The series takes place in the small, walkable neighborhood of Willemsburg, which is full of new locations audiences will love. Elephant Gerald is careful; his best friend Piggie is not. Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to and together, along with young audiences, they will celebrate the messy and joyful art of friendship.”
Meanwhile, “The Pigeon Show!” will follow “the day-to-day struggles of a pigeon who just wants to be listened to. He will be your best friend if you have a bus and you let him drive it. The series features familiar characters from Willems’ books, such as the adorable Duckling who always seems to get what she wants, plus new characters, like the Pigeon’s 150-million-year-old pterodactyl grandmother, Nana-Dactyl, and his best wing-pals, Ima Pigeon and Doug Pigeon.”
Willems is a best-selling author/illustrator who has been the recipient of three Caldecott Honors, two Theodor Seuss Geisel Medals and five Geisel Honors, as well as six Emmy Awards from his time writing on “Sesame Street.”
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