Charades, the Paris-based sales company behind the Oscar-nominated “Mirai” and “I Lost My Body,” has locked a raft of deals on “Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds,” a 3D animated feature inspired by Alexandre Dumas’ 19th-century classic D’Artagnan novels.
Budgeted in the region of $10 million, the family-skewing film is a reboot of the popular 1980s TV series “Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds,” which aired in more than 100 countries and on 150 networks.
Charades launched the film at the AFM and closed Central Partnership (Russia), Ex-Yugoslavia (Blitz), Baltics (Acme), Turkey (Tanweer), Middle East (Empire International), Israel (Forum), Greece (Odeon) and South Africa (Empire Entertainment). The company is in negotiations to pre-sell the film to France, Germany, Australia/New Zealand and Poland.
“The project is in line with our DNA: a strong IP, a very solid studio and of course there is an emotional attachment to the brand as the TV series was such a hit when we were younger,” said Charades’ co-founder Pierre Mazars. “This fall in particular, given the context, it is also an opportunity to present to buyers a commercial family animation that can be released worldwide early next year,” added Mazars.
The film follows Dogtanian, a fearless young boy who embarks on an adventure-filled journey to Paris hoping to become one of the king’s “muskehounds” guards.
Produced by the Spanish studio Apolo Films with the Asian studio Cosmo Maya, “Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds” will be released in Spain in January by leading Spanish distribution banner A Contracorriente Films, which previously released “Ballerina” and “Bigfoot Superstar.” Lusomundo will distribute the film in Portugal.
Besides “Mirai” and “I Lost My Body,” Charades’ track record in animation also includes Ben Stassen’s 3D animated features “Bigfoot Superstar” and “The Queen’s Corgi.”