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He may be “just a four-year-old kid,” but Caillou is making a comeback.
The divisive children’s TV character, who won over dozens of preschoolers but irritated many parents, is being rebooted with a new computer-generated look.
Halifax-headquartered media company WildBrain says it has partnered with NBCUniversal’s streaming platform Peacock to “expand the Caillou universe” and create 52 new 11-minute episodes. .
“This is yet another example of how we are reinvigorating valuable brands in our evergreen library,” WildBrain President Josh Scherba said in a press release Friday.
“For over 25 years, preschoolers have connected with Caillou because they can see themselves in these very relatable stories.”
The original TV show, based on a series of picture books from Chouette Publishing, debuted in 1997 and has since aired in some 70 countries.
It chronicles the daily adventures of a balding, sometimes temperamental four-year-old child as he lives his life at home and at school.
The original “Caillou” continues to air in Canada on Family Jr., but ended a 21-year run on US channel PBS last year.
At the time, the move was welcomed by many parents on social media who called the character “a whiner.” WildBrain teased that Caillou’s story was not south of the border, saying he was “committed to ensuring kids in the United States can enjoy the show in the future.”
Last September, the company also announced plans to produce five 44-minute “Caillou Family Specials,” which are currently in production.
WildBrain said details on the Canadian premiere and platform would be announced at a later date.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on June 24, 2022.
