Multi-award-winning independent animation studio Aardman today announced forthcoming new seasons for two of its most popular IPs: Shaun the Sheep and Very Small Creatures.
“Shaun the Sheep and Very Small Creatures are both made in the classic stop-motion style that first made Aardman famous, but they have so much more in common than that,” notes Sarah Cox, Chief Creative Director at Aardman. “Both are warm-hearted character-driven comedies created with the ambition to make audiences of all ages smile. It is very exciting to be announcing these two brand new series for our young viewers — and their families — to look forward to.”
Shaun the Sheep is Aardman’s best-performing IP to date, currently broadcast in 170 territories worldwide, and this new season of 20 episodes will see the total number of 7-minute episodes produced to date reach 190.
Season 7 will feature classic Shaun the Sheep scenarios — relatable, everyday situations with a rural twist! — spun into comedy gold by the Flock. Young viewers will be able to watch with bated breath as Bitzer attempts some DIY, see the chaos unfold as a tractor gets stuck in the mud, follow the Farmer’s ill-fated foray into beekeeping, and pick a side as Shaun and Bitzer battle it out in a camping caper.
The season will feature the first-ever Shaun the Sheep two-part episode: a cliffhanger where everything that Shaun knows and loves comes into question when he impulsively makes a wish and has to face up to some unexpected consequences.
Originally created by Richard Starzak, Shaun the Sheep Season 7 will be directed by Seamus Malone, with Danny Gallagher as producer, Jacqueline White as senior producer/executive producer and Carla Shelley and Sarah Cox as studio executive producers.
S7 will be part-financed by commissioning partners CBBC in the U.K. and WDR in Germany, with pre-sales confirmed to ABC (Australia), SVT (Sweden), YLE (Finland), DR (Denmark), VRT Ketnet TV (Belgium) and NRK (Norway), among others.
“Aardman’s style is timeless, with Shaun the Sheep epitomizing the best of British storytelling that sparks joy and unites families!” says Sarah Muller, Senior Head of Commissioning, 7-12, BBC. “Family viewing and culturally relevant content is hugely important to us at CBBC, so it’s a delight to bring the new series to our audiences who know and love these iconic stop-motion animations.”
This new season follows a number of successful recent outings for Shaun the Sheep, including 2021’s half-hour special, Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas, which won an Emmy, and Season 6, which won an International Kids Emmy. It will roll out in 2025.
In addition to this new season of Shaun the Sheep, Aardman has greenlit Season 3 of Very Small Creatures, its preschool IP commissioned by Sky Kids.
Originally a spin-off from classic Aardman IP Morph, Very Small Creatures has grown into its own brand and been nominated for an array of awards, including a Children’s & Young People BAFTA, a Kidscreen Award, a Prix Jeunesse International Award and a Broadcast Digital Award. Subsequent seasons have been re-commissioned by Sky Kids due to the immediate streaming success of the first season. Over 30 broadcasters have come on board since 2022, across key territories including Canada, Benelux, China, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Portugal, Spain, South Korea & the U.S.
Season 3 of Very Small Creatures will invite young viewers back into the playroom with Pink, Green, Yellow, Blue and Orange for plenty of SPLATS, giggles and heart in each new adventure. It will consist of 20 x 3-minute episodes and is set to launch late 2024.
The series, financed by Sky Kids UK, will be directed by Very Small Creatures creator, Aardman’s Lucy Izzard, with Rob Franklin as senior producer, Helen Argo as executive producer, Sarah Cox as studio executive producer and Nat McKay as creative executive. As has been the case with each previous series, the production will use a mixture of junior and experienced crew, capitalizing on Aardman’s world-class talent whilst providing opportunities for newcomers to join the studio and gain industry experience.
“We are thrilled to be working with Aardman’s brilliant creative team once again and look forward to our younger audiences, and their grown-ups, being able to enjoy more episodes of the Very Small Creatures,” says Lucy Murphy, Director of Kids Content, U.K. & R.O.I., Sky. “Pink, Orange, Green, Blue and Yellow light up the screen with their warmth, humour and love and their adventures in such a playful environment express the very best of young children’s curious exploration of their world.”
