Média-Participations and Vuelta’s PAN have aligned for two new animated features, one based on the Lucky Luke franchise and the other in the Yakari universe.
The new agreement follows partnering for the live-action Largo Winch franchise and the animated feature The Legendaries.
Directed by Bernard Campan and Célestine Plays, Lucky Luke in Welcome to Fanga Town was written by Campan and Antoine Schoumsky, with artistic direction led by Szymon Biernacki alongside Clément Dartigues. It has a budget of €18.5 million. Lucky Luke is marking its 80th anniversary, with the comic having sold more than 320 million copies across 36 languages. The franchise includes a live-action series for Disney+ and France Télévisions that premiered earlier this year. The animated feature is due to begin production in the second half for a 2029 release, backed by Pan Distribution.
Yakari: Brave Heart is planned for a 2027 release, produced by Ellipse Animation and Belvision with a €9.3 million budget. Pan Distribution will handle French theatrical distribution of the film, written and directed by Xavier Giacometti, who previously helmed the TV series and the first feature adaptation. The film is based on the character that originated in a comic book series, with released 42 volumes translated into 24 languages. There have been five animated series and a feature film released in
2020.
Caroline Duvochel, head of audiovisual and innovation at Média-Participations and MD of Ellipse Animation, noted, “We are excited to pursue our collaboration with PAN, a partnership grounded in
complementary strengths and proven success. Together, we are bringing major IPs like Lucky Luke and Yakari to the screen, with the ambition of creating standout European animated features for global audiences.”
Nathalie Gastaldo Godeau, co-founder Pan and president of Pan Animation, added, “We founded Pan Animation in 2022 with the ambition of becoming a major player in animation, both in production and distribution. Our position within the European Vuelta group further
strengthens this international ambition. It is in this context that we are delighted to distribute Yakari: Brave Heart and to produce, alongside Ellipse and Belvision, a new animated feature film centered on Lucky Luke. This is an iconic license, and we are committed to creating a film that
remains faithful to the legacy of the comic book, while also delivering a resolutely contemporary animated feature, driven by the humor and codes of today’s society.”
