Mattel Brings PINGU Back to TV, and It’s ‘Going to Be Really, Really Special’

Published: October 23, 2024

Mattel Brings PINGU Back to TV, and It’s ‘Going to Be Really, Really Special’

By Movieguide® Contributor

Mattel is teaming up with the studio behind stop-motion hits like CHICKEN RUN and WALLACE & GROMIT to develop a new PINGU series.

The toy company is partnering with Aardman to bring the beloved penguin to the small screen. Pingu, a mischievous claymation penguin, was first introduced to audiences in the 1980s and quickly became popular for his over-the-top reactions and catchphrase: “Noot noot!”

“When we set out to bring Pingu back, partnering with the top-tier creative team at Aardman was a must,” said Josh Silverman, chief franchise officer of Mattel, in a statement about the project. “With Aardman’s stop-motion magic and Pingu’s universal charm that has made him a social media hit, we are excited to create fresh snow-filled stories about our favorite penguin that are sure to warm hearts worldwide.”

Sarah Cox, chief creative director of Aardman, also shared a statement about the PINGU series, saying, “At Aardman, we love collaborating with IP that shares our commitment to humor, charm and great storytelling.”

“From our earliest conversations with Mattel, we felt an immediate and strong connection in our shared love of Pingu, the authentic appeal of the original IP, and comedy that transcends language barriers to speak to audiences everywhere,” her statement continued. “Aardman and Pingu is such a natural and enticing combination. The charm of the stop frame animation along with the quirky irreverence and character driven storytelling aligns perfectly with our creative approach. There are so many stories yet to tell, we can’t wait to get started.”

Silverman shared more of his excitement about the upcoming project in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

“You couldn’t ask for a more perfect marriage [than between Mattel and Aardman],” he gushed. “I was just with their team. We are overjoyed about the project. It’s going to be really, really special. Pingu just continues to, organically, have a tremendous amount of affection and attention. And a tremendous amount of relevance.”

Aardman has another upcoming project that fans all over the world are anxiously awaiting — WALLACE & GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL.