PIPPI LONGSTOCKING Animated Series Being Developed StudioCanal and Heyday Films

One of the most beloved characters in children's literature is gearing up for a major comeback. Pippi Longstocking, the wildly imaginative and endlessly entertaining heroine created by Astrid Lindgren, is getting a brand-new animated TV series from StudioCanal, Heyday Films, Submarine, and The Astrid Lindgren Company.

The new project is being developed as a modern reimagining of the iconic character and will take the form of a 52-episode, 11-minute 3D CGI animated series. Production is scheduled to begin this October.

For generations of readers, Pippi has represented freedom, adventure, and a refusal to play by anyone else's rules. Now, a new generation of kids will get the chance to discover the red-haired force of nature who arrives in town with mismatched stockings, freckles, a monkey perched on her shoulder, a horse she can carry with ease, and a travel bag packed with gold coins.

The series is being written by award-winning screenwriter Sara Daddy, whose previous credits include The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland, Olga Da Polga, and Tulipop Tales. Daddy sounds thrilled to take on the character, explaining her personal connection to Pippi and what she hopes to bring to the series:

“To be entrusted by the Lindgren family and the brilliant Heyday and Studiocanal teams with the keys to Villa Villekulla is such a privilege. As the daughter of a seaman who overturned convention and took me out of school to sail around the world, I have always felt a connection with Pippi.

“I am having so much fun honoring her fiercely independent spirit, free-thinking ways and of course, superhuman strength. With the brilliant wit and warmth of Astrid Lindgren’s voice as our guide, our aim is to ensure Pippi remains a joyful, empowering icon for today’s children. It is a dream project.”

The project arrives as Pippi Longstocking continues to celebrate an incredible legacy. The character marked her 80th anniversary in 2025 and remains one of the most recognizable figures in children's literature.

Lindgren's books have sold more than 90 million copies worldwide, been translated into 80 languages, and continue to move roughly 1.5 million copies every year.

Max Hallén, CEO of The Astrid Lindgren Company, spoke about the character's enduring appeal: “Astrid Lindgren’s stories continue to grow their audience around the world, reaching new generations of children across markets, platforms and formats.”

He continued: “Pippi Longstocking remains at the heart of that journey. Her courage, independence and playful way of challenging the world around her have inspired children around the world for over eighty years and continue to do so today.”

The creative team behind the series includes David Heyman, Rosie Alison, and Rob Silva of Heyday Films, the company responsible for the hugely successful Paddington franchise and the Emmy and Annie Award-winning animated series The Adventures of Paddington.

They will produce alongside Simon Quinn and Karen Davidsen, who also worked on multiple seasons of The Adventures of Paddington. Ron Halpern is overseeing the project for StudioCanal.

Speaking about the new adaptation, Heyman, Alison, and Silva shared their enthusiasm for bringing Pippi back to screens: “Pippi Longstocking is a beloved icon, with her uniquely unpredictable way of seeing the world.”

They added: “Joyful, free-spirited, playful, contrary, kind, fiercely resilient, she questions all the rules of the game, and her originality remains as fresh as ever.

“We could not be more excited about unleashing Pippi once again in her own new animated series, collaborating with a kindred spirit writer Sara Daddy, the brilliantly inventive animating team at Submarine, the Astrid Lindgren Company, and StudioCanal.”

StudioCanal CEO and Canal+ Chief Content Officer Anna Marsh also emphasized the importance of staying true to the spirit of the character: “We are thrilled to collaborate with The Astrid Lingren Company, Heyday Films and Submarine on the brilliant, timeless, fearless and unmistakable Pippi Longstocking.”

She continued: “Sara Daddy truly encompasses Pippi’s irrepressible life force, iconic strength of character, boundless imagination and joie de vivre.”

Marsh went on to explain that: “Pippi” is an “inspiration to so many people around the world Pippi is a beloved literary icon and we are determined to honour Astrid Lindgren’s legacy – and Pippi herself – with our ambitious new animated series.”

For Bruno Felix, managing director of Submarine, the project carries a personal connection: “Pippi has long held a special place in my heart: I watched her on television every weekend as a child, and later shared Astrid Lindgren’s stories with my own children.”

The animated series isn't the only Pippi Longstocking project currently in development. The partners are also working on a feature film adaptation, with Heyman, Jeffrey Clifford, and Alison producing.

Given what Heyday accomplished with the Paddington films and television series, there's plenty of reason to be excited about this latest adaptation. Pippi remains one of literature's most fun, unconventional heroes, and her mix of imagination, strength, humor, and independence feels just as relevant today as it did eight decades ago.

Source: Variety