Mondo TV, one of the largest European producers and distributors of animated content, has announced plans for the second season of its enormously popular environmentally themed animated kids’ show MeteoHeroes. The first season has sold into more than 120 countries and was among the top shows airing on Cartoonito in Italy last autumn.
Mondo TV is reteaming with Meteo Operations Italia (MOPI), which originated the concept, to produce the 52 x 11′ season 2. Production will start in the first quarter of 2021, and is expected to be completed by 2022.
MeteoHeroes is billed as the only cartoon in the world dedicated entirely to climate and environmental issues. Each episode focuses on issues related to ecology and respect for nature through the adventures of six superpowered kids who can control weather phenomena. Working alongside scientists and meteorologists at their futuristic HQ based in Gran Sasso Mountain National Park in Italy, the MeteoHeroes are trained to control their powers and fulfill their mission: to save the Earth.
The announcement follows a continuing growth in linear and streaming broadcast sales of season one in numerous countries and the appointment of agents in a number of territories, as well as a very successful first run on Cartoonito Italia and the well-received launch of a MeteoHeroes podcast, which teaches kids sustainable behaviors.
“We’re enormously proud of MeteoHeroes; it’s the only cartoon in the world that combines fun, adventure and science – a show that gets kids thinking as well as giving them laughs and thrills,” said Matteo Corradi, Mondo TV President & CEO. “It’s not easy to balance entertainment and education, but this show does so perfectly – and the confirmed arrival in 2022 of the second series is a tribute to everyone involved in making MeteoHeroes such a big success.”
MeteoHeroes has won its success with its stylish animation design, delivering action, comedy and real scientific information in thrilling storylines that discuss complex contemporary issues like climate change and weather patterns in an accessible and appealing way. Each episode is based on a real event with each story on screen linked to images and footage of the news stories that inspired it and the science behind each mission, which opens doors to discussion about important issues between co-viewing parents and children.
“We believe it’s important to give the very young a grounding in notions like respect for the environment, nature and the fight against climate change – but to do so in an accessible and entertaining way. MeteoHeroes does just that: it’s fun and exciting but it also helps kids to understand why and how we need to make our planet a better place to live,” said Luigi Latini, CEO of MOPI.
The producers also collaborated with well-known Italian child psychoanalyst and author Luigi Bellerini to create young characters with well-defined personalities, adapting to their super powers, dealing with their responsibilities and interacting with their teammates. The show was developed with diversity in mind: gender equality is a focus, and the six main characters hail from six different continents.
