Anouther coup for Kilkenny animation studio as The Puffin Rock Movie gets the green light

Thirteen crew will work on the production of the Puffin Rock Movie at the award-winning, Kilkenny-based animation studio Cartoon Saloon.

Work on the production will begin at the Oscar-nominated studio in September and the film is due for release in 2021.

Cartoon Saloon is a four-time Oscar  nominated studio for "The Secret of Kells", “Song of the Sea”, The Breadwinner" and "Late Afternoon".

The acclaimed children’s pre-school brand, Puffin Rock, is enjoying continued success and the co-owners, Cartoon Saloon, Penguin Books, and Dog Ears are delighted to announce the green light on the production of movie.
The award winning pre-school TV series Puffin Rock enjoys international success (nominated for an International Emmy, winner of two Kidscreen Awards and a Royal Television Award) and has been a huge hit with pre-school audiences.
Puffin Rock has been acquired by various international broadcasters including a global deal with Netflix, and a Chinese acquisition by China Nebula Group (CNB). Puffin Rock broadcasts on Tencent in China, where it has been streamed over 170 million times. The Puffin Rock Movie is the latest announcement for these charismatic Puffins!
The movie sees hero Oona work with her friends to save their island, and a precious little egg, in an action-packed story which celebrates our magnificent natural environment, and features themes of belonging, courage and friendship.
The film will be produced across three locations – in Dog Ears studio in Derry, in Cartoon Saloon in Kilkenny and in China Nebula Studio in Tianjin in China – due for release in the spring of 2021.
The Puffin Rock Movie will be the first animated feature produced in Northern Ireland and is co-funded by CNB, Northern Ireland Screen and Screen Ireland.
Axinear, CEO of China Nebula Group, said: “I am very honoured to participate in this wonderful family film together with the world’s leading 2D animation team. As a big fan of Puffin Rock myself, I can’t wait to meet the little puffin and her friends on the big screen as soon as possible.”
Fionnuala Deane, Managing Director of Dog Ears, said:
“We’re delighted to announce the production of the Puffin Rock Movie and to welcome our new partners Chinese Nebula Pictures on board.We’re very excited about the movie and have big hopes for it reaching family audiences across the globe.”
Paul Young, CEO of Cartoon Saloon, said: “I’m very happy that we are able to begin work on our Puffin Rock feature with our brilliant partners Dog Ears and China Nebula Pictures. There are a lot of kids hungry for some more adventures with Oona, Baba and Friends and we don’t want to let them down! Our Movie has lots of laughs and thrills for younger viewers and for many we expect The Puffin Rock Movie will be their first cinema experience!”
James Hickey, CEO of Screen Ireland, said:
“Fís Eireann/Screen Ireland is thrilled to be part of the Puffin Rock Movie, and to support Cartoon Saloon on yet another feature-length animation project, as it has grown into an internationally acclaimed powerhouse animation studio, marking another wave of success for the Irish animation industry.
“Screen Ireland has been proud to support the original TV series of Puffin Rock, and its continued international success and acclaim highlights the range of creative talent across Irish storytelling and animation, both North and South.
“This move to the big screen will be a fantastic opportunity for children everywhere to engage with these already much-loved characters and stories.”