Disney Junior has picked up the top-rated animated series Sofia the First for a second season.
The pickup for the series about Disney’s first little-girl princess is no surprise given its ratings success. It’s the top cable TV series among Kids 2-5, Girls 2-5 and Boys 2-5. It is also the No. 1 preschooler cable TV series in Total Viewers and Women 18-49, a key indicator of parental approval.
“We are so proud of the strong connection our young viewers and their parents have forged with Sofia. While she and her family live in a magical make-believe world, the storytelling and relatable everyday themes have struck a chord with our audience and has created demand not only for more stories, but to extend the Sofia the First experience beyond the screen,” said Nancy Kanter, senior VP of original programming and GM of Disney Junior Worldwide, in announcing the pickup.
The series airs daily during the Disney Junior programming block on Disney Channel and on the 24-hour Disney Junior channel. The series stars the voices of Ariel Winter as Sofia, the young princess in training; Sara Ramirez as Queen Miranda, Sofia’s loyal and caring mother; Wayne Brady as Clover, Sofia’s wise-talking rabbit sidekick, and Tim Gunn as Baileywick, the castle’s royal steward. Craig Gerber (Pixie Hollow Games) developed the series and serves as executive producer and story editor. Jamie Mitchell (Special Agent Oso) is executive producer and director. John Kavanaugh (Winnie the Pooh: Springtime with Roo) serves as songwriter and music director and Kevin Kliesch (Tangled Ever After) is the composer. Sofia the First is a production of Disney Television Animation.
Extensions of the hit series include an illustrated storybook from Disney Press, and the record-breaking TV movie Sofia the First: Once Upon a Princess, released this week on DVD. The Sofia the First: Story Theater app has held the top spot in the iPad and iPhone Books category five of the seven weeks it has been in the marketplace, and the soundtrack from Walt Disney Records is No. 1 on iTunes Top 10 Children’s Albums chart and #2 on the Billboard’s Kid Albums chart. An exclusive Sofia the First product line is in Disney Stores and a full Sofia the First line including apparel and toys will launch at major retailers nationwide this summer.
