Maya the Bee Movie will be buzzing into young North American hearts in 2015 thanks to Shout! Factory. This diminutive character perhaps became very popular due in part to the Japanese animation of the same name back in 1975. Since then it has been translated to many languages for airings in other countries. An updated CGI version returned to its fictional roots by animation production company Studio 100 in 2012. This series run lasted for 78 episodes and a film followed afterwards. Both are based on the book of the same name by German children’s author, Waldemar Bonsels.
With this titular character learning many lessons in life in the midst of becoming an adult throughout the series and related products, not only will young audiences thrill to his adventures but also take something away from it. The rollout for the film includes screenings in select theaters, video-on-demand (VOD), subscription video-on-demand (SVOD), electronic-sell-through (EST) and television. Perhaps channels like Teletoon will pick up Studio 100’s updated product for broadcast again.
“This highly entertaining family movie is the perfect addition to our library of exciting new films. We look forward to presenting Maya the Bee movie to North American audiences,” state Shout! Factory’s founders.
Maya the Bee Movie is a German–Australian co-production of Studio 100 Media and Buzz Studios in association with Flying Bark Productions. Directed by Alexs Stadermann, it is produced by Patrick Elmendorff and Thorsten Wegener (Studio 100 Media), Jim Ballantine and Barbara Stephen (Buzz Studios). Studio 100 Film, the film division is a hundred percent subsidiary of the international children’s production and distribution company Studio 100 Media based in Munich.
