HarperCollins Productions, Viva Pictures, and Cantilever Media Team Up for Three Animated Films, Starting with Ken Lamug’s Graphic Novel ‘Mischief And Mayhem’
HarperCollins Productions Forms Partnership for Animated Features
HarperCollins Productions has announced a new collaboration with Los Angeles-based Viva Pictures Distribution and UK-based Cantilever Media to develop and produce three animated features through a co-production agreement.
The partnership aims to adapt HarperCollins intellectual property into comedic narratives suitable for a diverse, global audience. Under this agreement, Viva Pictures will handle distribution in North America, while Cantilever’s distribution branch, Kazoo Films, will oversee releases in the UK and Ireland.
The first project under this initiative is titled Mischief and Mayhem, based on a graphic novel series by author-illustrator Ken Lamug. This series has been described as Dog Man meets Despicable Me and chronicles the adventures of two unlikely heroes who stumble into supervillainy after being expelled from superhero camp.
This new co-production deal builds on Viva Pictures’ existing slate of four original animated features, planned for theatrical release in 2027. This roster includes The Amazing Maurice 2, developed in partnership with Cantilever Media, along with On the Edge, Flamingo Flamenco, and Unstable. Additionally, Viva Pictures is set to distribute ten animated films nationally by the end of 2027, including recent releases such as Pets on a Train and Grand Prix of Europe, with Charlie the Wonderdog starring Owen Wilson set for January 16, Buffalo Kids for February 6, and The Pout-Pout Fish on March 20.
Caroline Fraser, Head of HarperCollins Productions, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration. “We are thrilled to work with Viva Pictures and Cantilever Media on a dynamic slate of animated movies that will bring some of our most hilarious and original stories to the screen,” she stated.
Victor Elizalde, President of Viva Pictures, highlighted the significance of HarperCollins’s storied catalog. He said, “This partnership allows us to bring that storytelling legacy to life on screen in a way that’s both creatively ambitious and globally scalable.” He noted that this collaboration supports Viva’s long-term strategy to cultivate a portfolio of original properties that resonate across various markets.
Andrew Baker, Founder and CEO of Cantilever Media and Kazoo Films, emphasized the shared vision among the partners, stating, “This collaboration brings together the best of British creativity and international reach, paving the way for stories with true cultural and commercial longevity.”
As the second-largest consumer book publisher worldwide, HarperCollins Productions is actively developing adaptations of several notable properties, including Carmen Sandiego, Miss Nelson Is Missing, Mouse and the Motorcycle, Danny and the Dinosaur, and The Oregon Trail.
