StudioCanal has acquired the intellectual property rights to Paddington Bear and Company Limited.

April 6, 2018

2 Min Read

Production company will take on all rights to the classic children’s book character.

StudioCanal has acquired the intellectual property rights to Paddington Bear and Company Limited.

At the same time, StudioCanal has also acquired The Copyrights Group Limited, which acts as the licensing agent for Paddington Bear.

Through these acquisitions, StudioCanal will take full ownership of the Paddington brand worldwide, which includes activities such as live entertainment, video games and theme parks.

“Paddington has been a very important part of my life since the publication of my father’s first book, A Bear Called Paddington, exactly two months after I was born. I joined Paddington and Company 35 years ago and took the role of managing director a short while later,” says Karen Jankel, owner and managing director, Paddington and Company Limited. “For our family this is about so much more than selling a company, but as StudioCanal have already proven with the wonderful first film, they are more than capable of looking after Paddington. So we couldn’t be more delighted that it is they who will be taking on the mantle of this guardianship and I feel confident that he will be in a very safe pair of paws.”

Additionally, Jankel will retain a consultancy role on the future creative development of the brand in association with the team at The Copyrights Group Limited, who have represented the brand since 1984.

“We are particularly proud and happy that Michael Bond, Karen Jankel and their family have chosen to trust us with Paddington Bear, who will be welcomed at StudioCanal as one of our family. We have maintained a very close relationship with them since the release of the first film, which was one of the highlights of StudioCanal’s recent development,” says Didier Lupfer, chief executive officer, StudioCanal. “Following this success, we shall continue to develop Paddington, who is already a familiar feature in millions of homes worldwide. This will start with a second chapter of Paddington’s movie adventures, the shooting of which is to start this autumn. Beyond cinema, Paddington will benefit from the full strength of a media and entertainment group of Vivendi’s size, with a presence in television, music, live entertainment, video games and the digital world. Paddington is a 58-year-old classic brand, and we shall continue to make it grow still further.”

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