The New Series is Based on the Best-Selling Book
Series By Holly Smale
Geek Girl Will Debut on YTV and
STACKTV in Canada and Worldwide on
Netflix
Download image assets here
For additional photography, visit
the Corus Media Centre here
To Share this Release socially visit:
bit.ly/45VwCB8
TORONTO, June 14,
2023 /CNW/ - Corus Entertainment's Waterside
Studios, an IP and production venture focused on bringing
premium scripted Canadian content for youth and primetime audiences
to the Canadian and international marketplace, announces the
start of production for its highly anticipated new series
Geek Girl (10x30), based on the best-selling novels
by Holly Smale. Production is now
underway in the UK with co-producers RubyRock Pictures and
Aircraft Pictures and will continue in Canada later this summer. Slated to premiere
on YTV and STACKTV in Canada and worldwide on Netflix next year, the
highly anticipated series will be distributed globally by Nelvana
thereafter.
"As Corus continues to build a content powerhouse, Geek
Girl brings together Corus' incredible collection of content
and media assets," said Colin Bohm,
EVP Content and Corporate Strategy, Corus Entertainment. "From our
YTV and STACKTV platforms, to our investment in Aircraft Pictures
and launch of Waterside Studios, and Nelvana distributing the
series globally, we have leveraged our full operation to bring
Geek Girl to audiences worldwide."
Geek Girl is the story of awkward teenager
Harriet Manners whose life is
upended when she is discovered as a model, whisking her from high
school to high fashion. The beloved books are loosely based on
Holly's own experience. When, in January
2021, Holly was later diagnosed as autistic she realized her
beloved main character, Harriet
Manners, must be autistic too.
"For the last decade it's been my dream to
see Geek Girl brought to life on screen,"
said Holly Smale, author of the Geek Girl book series.
"I'm so excited to work with Waterside Studios; the talent, vision
and enthusiasm the entire team is bringing to my story is
incredible, and I can't wait for the whole world to meet
Harriet Manners on Netflix and
YTV."
The cast of Geek Girl is led by Emily Carey (House of the Dragon, Get
Even, Wonder Woman) as Harriet
Manners. The all-star cast also includes Sarah Parish as Jude Paignton (Industry, Stay
Close), Emmanuel Imani
(Riches, The Wheel Of Time) as Wilbur Evans, Liam
Woodrum (Love In Zion National) as Nick Park, Zac Looker (A Kind of
Spark) as Toby Pilgrim,
Tim Downie (Outlander,
Paddington) as Richard
Manners, Jemima Rooper
(Flowers in the Attic: The Origin) as Annabel Manners, Daisy
Jelley (London Kills) as Poppy Hepple-Cartwright and introducing
Rochelle Harrington as Natalie Grey.
The screen adaptation was written by lead writer Jess Ruston, Sameera
Steward, Holly Smale and
Sarah Morgan. The series is directed
by Declan O'Dwyer (Miss Scarlet & The Duke, Flowers In The Attic: The Origin,
Merlin). The show is creatively produced by Zoë Rocha for
RubyRock Pictures and by Anthony Leo
and Andrew Rosen for Aircraft
Pictures.
"Holly Smale has written
heart-warming and laugh-out-loud coming-of-age stories that
resonate with anyone who has ever felt like an outsider," said
Jeff Norton, Head of Waterside
Studios, and Executive Producer. "It's been a true honour to
develop these books for the screen and we couldn't be happier to
partner with both Corus' own YTV and Netflix to bring Holly's story
to the screen together with top production companies RubyRock
Pictures and Aircraft Pictures."
"The books are an incredible read - there's so much heart in the
story and characters," added Zoë Rocha, Founder of RubyRock
Pictures. "Seeing the TV series come to life first in the writers'
room and now on set, I know that the show is going to be very
special with all that emotional resonance depicted on screen. For
anyone who knows the twists and turns of growing up, this is going
to speak to you."
The Geek Girl series comprises six novels, two novellas
and one World Book Day book, all of which are published by
HarperCollins UK and translated into 28 languages. Geek Girl
was originally developed with the assistance of the BFI's Young
Audiences Content Fund.
Waterside Studios joins forces with Nelvana, a world-leading
international producer, distributor and licensor of children's
animated and live-action content, to bring a slate of live-action
programming into Corus' overall content offering for global
audiences. The new live-action series has been pre-sold to Netflix
worldwide, and Nelvana has been appointed to distribute Geek Girl
globally.
About Corus Entertainment Inc.
Corus Entertainment
Inc. (TSX: CJR.B) is a leading media and content company that
develops and delivers high quality brands and content across
platforms for audiences around the world. Engaging audiences since
1999, the company's portfolio of multimedia
offerings encompass 33 specialty television
services, 39 radio stations, 15 conventional television stations,
digital and streaming services, animation software, technology and
media services. Corus is
an internationally-renowned content creator and
distributor through Nelvana, a world
class animation studio expert in all formats and Corus
Studios, a globally recognized producer of hit scripted and
unscripted content. The company also owns full-service social
digital agency so.da, lifestyle entertainment company Kin
Canada, leading 2D animation software supplier Toon Boom and
children's book publishing house, Kids Can Press. Corus'
roster of premium brands includes Global Television, W Network,
HGTV Canada, Food Network Canada, Magnolia Network Canada, The
HISTORY® Channel, Showcase, Adult Swim, National Geographic, Disney
Channel Canada, YTV, Global News, Globalnews.ca, Q107, Country
105, and CFOX, along with streaming platforms STACKTV, TELETOON+,
the Global TV App and Curiouscast. Corus is the domestic
advertising representative and an original content partner for
Pluto TV, a Paramount Company, which is the leading free
ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service. For more
information visit www.corusent.com.
About Waterside Studios
Waterside Studios is an IP and
production venture focused on bringing premium scripted Canadian
content for youth and primetime audiences to the Canadian and
international marketplace. Waterside Studios collaborates with
independent producers as well as joining forces with Nelvana, a
world-leading international producer, distributor and licensor of
children's animated and live-action content. Together with Nelvana,
Waterside Studios brings a slate of live-action programming into
Corus Entertainment's overall content offering for global
audiences. Waterside Studios is headed up by executive producer
Jeff Norton, known for his work in
bringing best-selling books to the screen.
About Nelvana
Entertaining kids for over 50 years,
Nelvana is a world-leading international producer and distributor
of children's animated and live-action content. Nelvana produces a
stable of award-winning and globally renowned brands that focus on
comedies, preschool and action series, and ancillary consumer
products programs. Nelvana's content airs on Corus Entertainment's
kids channels in Canada and in
over 180 countries around the world. The Nelvana library has well
over 5,000 episodes of programming and has received over 70 major
international program awards including Emmys® and Canadian Screen
Awards. Visit the Nelvana website at nelvana.com.
About RubyRock Pictures
Founded by Zoë Rocha London-based, high-end scripted production
company RubyRock Pictures is currently in development on a number
of projects, working with companies such the BFI, Corus
Entertainment and A+E Studios. Prior to setting up RubyRock, Zoë
spent four years as founder and Creative Director at LittleRock
Pictures. Whilst there she oversaw the development and production
of shows such as Ch5 and Netflix's hit series
BORDERLINE and the International Emmy Award nominated
Sky/Showtime original series URBAN MYTHS. Most
recently, Zoë served as creative EP on the series from A+E Studios
/ Lifetime FLOWERS IN THE ATTIC: THE ORIGIN. Based on
the long running series of bestselling novels by VC Andrews, the
show stars Jemima Rooper,
Max Irons, Paul Wesley, Kate
Mulgrew and Kelsey Grammer.
The show was the #1 most watched cable series in the US on its
release last Summer.
About Aircraft Pictures
Aircraft Pictures is an
Academy Award® and Emmy® nominated producer of scripted content for
kids, families and young adults. Based in Toronto with an office in Los Angeles, the
production company was founded by Anthony
Leo and Andrew Rosen. Select
credits include the sci-fi series Circuit Breakers for Apple
TV+, the animated theatrical feature film The Breadwinner –
a co-production with Cartoon Saloon in association with Executive
Producer Angelina Jolie – nominated for an Academy Award® and
Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film and winner of the
Los Angeles Film Critics Award and Annie Award for Best Independent
Animated Feature; five seasons of the Canadian Screen Award-winning
and Daytime Emmy®-nominated live-action Hulu Original series
Holly Hobbie; three
television movies based on the Bruno & Boots book series
by young adult fiction icon Gordon Korman; and twenty-six episodes
of the Kidscreen Award-winning single-camera comedy Raising
Expectations. Upcoming productions include the tween,
live-action, comedy Popularity Papers, in association with
WexWorks Media/BBC Studios; the animated series Summer
Memories, in association with WildBrain; and the live-action
feature film Youngblood, based on the original MGM film of
the same name. For more information, visit
www.aircraftpictures.com.
SOURCE Corus Entertainment Inc.