In a show of strength, the English-language “Spellbound” live-action series from the “Find Me in Paris” creators and production partners will receive a second season.
Produced by Cottonwood Media, with ZDF, ZDF Studios and Opéra national de Paris, the 13 new episodes of the Ballet/Magic series will go into production in August.
News of the “Spellbound” renewal comes as the first season launches in international markets across broadcasters and streaming services starting this fall.
Federation Kids & Family, the sales arm of Cottonwood Media’s parent company Union Studios, and ZDF Studios, the commercial company for German public broadcaster ZDF, will manage worldwide sales.
They’ll bring to market a second season of a premium English-language show aimed at a children’s and family audience in the market all over the world simultaneously, furthermore, when buyers are caught between a rock and a hard place: the original production and the WGA strike, which means far less English-language content moving to the production.
Season 1 finds feisty American Cece Parker-Jones, 15, as she moves to Paris to study dance at the Paris Opera Ballet School. She discovers by chance that she is a “witch”, a sorceress with untapped potential, and must try to balance dance, friendship, romance, and her uncommon new powers.
In the second season, Cece vows to give up magic and focus on dancing, but secrets from the past are revealed, and she befriends a new student, Sophie.
It’s a magical mess all the way around! This season sees her push boundaries more than ever to pursue her dream of going ‘pro’. Cece also has a new crush, new friends, and a surprise from a familiar face, when a challenging BLOK hip-hop ignites the department The second and connects it, ”raises the summary.
“Everybody says ‘premium’ these days. Basically, you get a premium with the expensive settings, visual effects or something like ballet, it’s hard to shoot and expensive, because it takes time,” said David Michel, co-founder and president of Cottonwood Media and president of Kids Union. And family, the really unique thing about “Spellbound” is that it has all three.
“Spellbound” was created by Jill Girling and Lori Mather (“Find Me in Paris,” “Ride”) who once again serve, as in season one, as executive producers and showrunners, weaving a story where magic, like ballet, coherently functions as metaphors. A fantasy of a girl’s discovery of a sense of self.
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Courtesy of Cottonwood Media
Magic is often used in coming-of-age stories for a reason. “It’s about discovering who you are as a person, while dancing is also about discovering and being in control of your body,” said Michel.
“Spellbound” also has access to an ambitious narrative, “a pretty fish-of-the-water story about a girl who in many ways shouldn’t be at this elite school, about a girl who is very good but not great at ballet, but does what it takes to do it well.” by the end of the series.”
“As with all live-action series, we have assembled a team of creators who have also worked on award-winning primetime series, bringing a unique quality and feel to the production,” said Michele Loritano, founders of Cottonwood Media. and Zoe Carrera Alex.
They continued, “With its stunning visuals, entertaining storylines, vibrant characters, and a first season that ends on a veritable cliffhanger, we look forward to a ‘Spellbound’ adventure that continues to work its magic on audiences around the world.”
“We’re thrilled to see the continuation of the Spellbound story. I’m convinced kids and teens all over the world will be super excited too,” commented Nicole Cape, ZDF’s President of International Co-Productions, Acquisitions, and Children’s and Youth Programs.
Arne Lohmann, VP of Juniors at ZDF Studios, added: “The first season of ‘Spellbound’ enthralled us with its wonderfully diverse cast and stunning views of the world of Parisian ballet. Cece and her friends will enchant us even more with the new episodes. It is a pleasure to be collaborating again with our friends in Cottonwood Media.”
