The Gotham Group and Toonstar are joining forces on a new children’s animation slate, with plans to produce as many as 12 original series for direct-to-audience platforms.
The partnership is centered on developing quality animation and family entertainment for audiences outside a traditional release model. The “up to 12” figure sets the potential size of the collaboration, although it does not guarantee that all 12 projects will ultimately be produced.
The deal combines The Gotham Group’s experience championing animation talent and intellectual property with Toonstar’s digital-first production and distribution model. Toonstar describes itself as a tech-powered animation studio focused on building entertainment franchises through creator-led programming.
A Digital-First Animation Push
Toonstar was founded by Disney, Warner Bros. and DreamWorks veterans John Attanasio and Luisa Huang. The Los Angeles-based company produces and distributes digital-first animated series, with an approach designed around creators and direct audience engagement.
Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, founder and CEO of The Gotham Group, said the companies found common ground in their views on animation, creativity and changing audience habits.
“When I first started talking with John and Luisa, we connected immediately,” Goldsmith-Vein said. “They’re creatives first. They love animation, they have great creative instincts and they understand how to produce for a digital-first audience. That’s where the opportunity is right now, and it’s why creators need new ways to reach audiences.”
Attanasio, Toonstar’s co-founder and CEO, pointed to Gotham’s long-running work with animation creators and properties as a key part of the partnership.
“Ellen and Gotham have spent three decades finding and championing incredible animation talent and IP,” Attanasio said. “Together, we can help those artists and storytellers create the next generation of beloved kids’ franchises directly with audiences.”
The partnership also reflects Toonstar’s emphasis on using technology to accelerate production and connect creative decisions with audience behavior. Matt Shichtman, head of Emerging Technologies at The Gotham Group, said newer tools can give animation creators capabilities that were previously associated with the biggest studios.
“Animation creators can now produce at a pace and scale once limited to the largest studios, with distribution support and analytics that help them understand and respond quickly to audience preferences,” Shichtman said.
Toonstar Expands Its Development Network
The Gotham Group becomes the latest addition to Toonstar’s roster of development partners. That network already includes Fox Entertainment, HarperCollins and Penguin Random House.
Toonstar’s investors include Founders Fund, Greycroft, Snap and GFR. The studio is represented by WME and the law firm Hansen Jacobson.
For this specific deal, WME represented both The Gotham Group and Toonstar. Hansen Jacobson served as Toonstar’s legal counsel.
ShowBiz Take
The scale of the proposed slate is the standout element of this partnership. Rather than announcing a single animated project, Gotham and Toonstar are laying the groundwork for a broader pipeline that could encompass up to 12 original children’s series.
The strategy also places distribution at the heart of development. The companies are not simply creating shows and then seeking an outlet; the stated plan is to make family programming specifically for direct-to-audience platforms. Toonstar’s digital-first model, distribution capabilities and audience analytics are therefore central to the collaboration, while Gotham brings its history of finding and supporting animation talent and IP.
Just as importantly, the executives are framing the arrangement as a route for artists and storytellers to build children’s franchises in closer contact with their audiences. Whether the full slate reaches its maximum size remains to be seen, but the partnership signals a substantial commitment to creator-led animation.
What Happens Next?
The companies plan to produce and launch the new animated series on direct-to-audience platforms. Specific show titles, release dates and individual platform destinations were not identified in the announcement, leaving the makeup and rollout of the potential 12-project slate as the next major developments to watch.