Nickelodeon Inks Multiplatform Deal With James Corden and Ben Winston to Produce Animated Movie and TV Series Based on Children’s Book, Real Pigeons Fight Crime

Newly Released Title from Best-Selling Book Series in Movie and TV Development at Nickelodeon

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BURBANK, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Nickelodeon has struck a multiplatform deal with James Corden and Ben Winston, and their production company Fulwell 73, to produce an animated movie and TV series, based on the recently released children’s book title, Real Pigeons Fight Crime. The movie and TV series are being developed to air on all Nickelodeon platforms.

Said Winston, “We are so delighted to be working with our great friends at Nickelodeon on this wonderful, charming and funny book, and can’t wait to help bring it to life for kids everywhere!”

Added Ramsey Naito, Executive Vice President, Nickelodeon Animation Production and Development, “Real Pigeons Fight Crime is about a secret squad of crime-fighting pigeons, with high stakes and true hilarity making it a perfect fit for our audience. By fusing the humor and expertise of this the incredible team at Fulwell 73 Productions, we are ready to show kids what pigeons really do–fight crime, solve mysteries, take down bad guys, and keep neighborhoods safe!”

Written by Andrew McDonald and illustrated by Ben Wood, Real Pigeons Fight Crime was published in Australia by Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing and is now available in over 10 territories including North America, where it was recently released by Random House Children’s Books. Hilarious, engaging and completely ridiculous, the Real Pigeons series has sold hundreds of thousands of books and has amassed legions of fans around the globe. Real Pigeons Fight Crime reveals the secret life of crime-busting pigeons who set out to keep a town safe. The deal underscores key elements of Nickelodeon’s content strategy, to build and expand the worlds of popular franchises and give audiences more of what they love.

The forthcoming Real Pigeons Fight Crime animated project is the latest addition to Nickelodeon’s programming, joining the recently greenlit Big Nate series as well as hit franchises like Star Trek, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Henry Danger, among others. Nickelodeon’s new content slate is informed by the network’s ongoing research and insights into today’s generation of kids, who are the most diverse generation ever and expect to see themselves authentically represented in media and in the world around them; who want to make a positive difference in the world as they grow up; who consider social media stars as their top role models, alongside their parents; and who increasingly meet their much-desired need for family time by co-viewing entertainment content together.

The Real Pigeons Fight Crime TV series is executive produced by Corden and Winston, with Andrew McDonald and Ben Wood serving as consultants throughout development and production.

Andrew McDonald is a children’s author who lives in Melbourne, Australia. He is the author of the Real Pigeons series and loves writing stories that make kids laugh, gasp, think and wonder. His books have been shortlisted for the Readings Children’s Book Prize and the Australian Book Industry Awards.

Ben Wood is the illustrator of the Real Pigeons series and has always been drawn to stories with humor and heart. He has illustrated over 30 books for children, with several titles recognized on the Children Book Council of Australia (CBCA)’s “Notables” lists and was shortlisted for the Australian Book Industry Awards in 2019 and 2020.

McDonald, Wood, and Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing are represented by UTA and Writers House.

About Fulwell 73 Productions

Fulwell 73, is a television and film production company, set up in 2005 by lifelong friends Ben Winston, Leo Pearlman, Ben Turner and Gabe Turner. In March 2017 James Corden joined the company as a fifth full partner.

Fulwell 73’s television slate is extensive. They are the producer of multi Emmy award-winning, “The Late Late Show with James Corden,” which currently has over eight billion views online. Their other productions include, “Drop the Mic” for TBS, “Game On” for CBS, “Carpool Karaoke: The Series” for Apple, “Sunderland Til’ I Die” for Netflix, “Stand Up To Cancer,” and “Gavin and Stacey” for BBC1 this Christmas. They were recently unveiled as the producers behind the new “Friends” Reunion for HBO Max. Their shows were nominated for 13 Emmy awards in total last year, with partners Ben Winston and James Corden gaining the most nominations of any individuals.

The company first came to the public’s attention in September 2007 with the release of its debut feature In the Hands of the Gods (Lionsgate). The film received great critical acclaim, opened on more screens than any other UK-made documentary and appeared in cinemas around the world. Since then Fulwell’s theatrical film releases include: the most successful sports documentary of all time, The Class of 92 (Universal Pictures); the huge box office hits One Direction 3D: This is Us (Sony/Columbia) and I Am Bolt (Universal). They were also behind the recent documentary feature on Showtime “Hitsville: The Making of Motown” and are currently in production on “Cinderella” for Sony Pictures.

Fulwell 73 prides itself in making shows with some of the top music and sports talent in the world, making broadcast specials for artists including, Bruno Mars, Harry Styles, Sam Smith, Shawn Mendes, Kacey Musgraves. They recently produced the live Global Citizens event from South Africa to honor Mandela’s 100th birthday, with artists including Beyoncé, Jay Z and Oprah.

About Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon, now in its 41^st year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The brand includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, location based experiences, publishing and feature films. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of ViacomCBS Inc. (Nasdaq: VIACA, VIAC).

Contacts

Katelyn Balach

Katelyn.Balach@nick.com

Molly Neuhauser

Molly.Neuhauser@nick.com