Moonbug

EXCLUSIVE: Deadline has learned that Hello Sunshine is shuttering its kids and animation business as part of a strategic decision to focus Candle Media ’s kids and animation efforts under Moonbug , the family production studio the corp snapped up for a near $3 billion in November 2021. Hello Sunshine will collaborate with Moonbug on future kids and animation projects. As a result, a few individuals will be departing Hello Sunshine over the coming weeks. The Blackstone-backed Candle Media, which is also co-run and co-founded by Tom Staggs, acquired Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine in August 2021 for $900M. At last April’s MIP TV , Candle Media co-founder Kevin Mayer spoke about synergies between both Hello Sunshine and Moonbug. The latter is the production company behind popular kids shows like CoComelon. CoComelon was one of the top three streaming programs in 2022 with 37.8 billion minutes viewed on Netflix per Nielsen, behind Stranger Things (52B) on … [Read more...] about Hello Sunshine Shuts Down Kids & Animation Division

Former ABC News Chief James Goldston has joined Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs’ Candle Media to head up a new division focused on scripted and non-scripted features and series inspired by true stories. Goldston will serve as President of the new group. Mayer and Staggs held senior executive posts at Disney during Goldston’s tenure at ABC. They launched Candle in 2021 with backing from private equity firm Blackstone. Initial investments have included the acquisition of Moonbug Entertainment and a significant stake in Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine. Goldston spent 18 years at ABC News, including seven years as President, overseeing all aspects of the news division. Along with daily news programming, he oversaw podcast and documentary projects for Hulu and Disney+. That roster included The Dropout, produced by Rebecca Jarvis and her team, which became a breakout podcast, documentary and Emmy-winning scripted series for Hulu; and John’s Ridley’s Let it Fall, a duPont-Columbia … [Read more...] about Candle Media Taps Former ABC News Chief James Goldston To Head New Nonfiction Division