Adorable live-action preschool series Mittens & Pants gets a Season 3 greenlight from CBC

VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb 11, 2025--

Thunderbird Entertainment Group Inc. (TSXV:TBRD, OTC – THBRF) (“Thunderbird” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that Thunderbird Distribution acquisition Mittens & Pants from Toronto-based Windy Isle Entertainment, has been greenlit for a third 45-episode season by commissioning broadcaster CBC, with Sky Kids U.K. and Ireland on-board as a broadcast partner, for a total of 126 episodes, so far. The third season will air on CBC and CBC Gem later this year.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250211329291/en/

Mittens & Pants features best friends Mittens the kitten and Pants the puppy who live in the all-animal town of Kibble Corners — each day is a new adventure for these unlikely best friends. And Season 3 is currently in production in Hamilton, Ontario. New to the beloved kitten and puppy’s hometown this season is a guinea pig news station, a rumbling kitten sports stadium, and a whimsical magic shop. Season 3 will also feature special Halloween, holiday, and musical episodes.

“Windy Isle and Thunderbird are doing an incredible job of baking discoverability right into their brand strategy, helping to grow the global audience for Mittens & Pants, and we are thrilled to order the third litter of this adorable show from Phil McCordic, one of Canada's most innovative creators,” said Marie McCann, Senior Director, Children’s Content, CBC Kids.

Thunderbird Distribution has also secured more international sales for seasons 1 and 2 of the adorable live-action preschool series.

In the U.S., streamers Peacock, HappyKids and Kidoodle.TV have taken Season 2 (42 x 7 minutes), and Canadian French-language broadcasters TFO and Radio-Canada have picked up Season 1. The series is now available in 78 territories.

On the digital side, Mittens & Pants has just landed on the hugely popular Roblox platform with the My Carrots Simulator game, featuring the series’ breakout carrot-farming bunny Monsieur LaFleur. Players select their bunny tractor and collect Monsieur LaFleur’s favourite thing – carrots! They can amass their stash to upgrade their tractors and unlock new characters. Officially launched this winter, My Carrots Simulator is being continually updated with new quest systems and weekly leaderboards.

Finally , Mittens & Pants has seen substantial growth in the last six months on YouTube ( @MittensandPantsOfficial ), Instagram ( @mittensandpantstv ), and TikTok ( @mittensandpantstv ). The series now boasts more than 318,000 followers, 65 million views, and 7.3 million interactions counted across the three digital platforms.

“We're so excited to see how much these characters have connected with audiences on a global scale,” says Mittens & Pants creator and showrunner, Phil McCordic. “The puppies and kittens (and bunnies, guinea pigs and hamsters) are endlessly surprising and delightful. It’s as fun a show to make as it is to watch.”

“I knew from the outset that Mittens & Pants was something special and unique in the current landscape of preschool entertainment,” said Richard Goldsmith, President of Global Distribution and Consumer Products at Thunderbird. “And with an exciting third season in the works, increased distribution, expansion into digital mediums and great growth across social media and YouTube, we are confident that Mittens & Pants is on track to be a global brand.”

ABOUT THUNDERBIRD ENTERTAINMENT GROUP

Thunderbird Entertainment Group is a global award-winning, full-service production, distribution and rights management company, headquartered in Vancouver, with additional offices in Los Angeles and Ottawa. Thunderbird creates award-winning scripted, unscripted, and animated programming for the world’s leading digital platforms, as well as Canadian and international broadcasters. The Company develops, produces, and distributes animated, factual, and scripted content through its various content arms, including Thunderbird Kids and Family (Atomic Cartoons), Thunderbird Unscripted (Great Pacific Media) and Thunderbird Scripted. Productions under the Thunderbird umbrella include Mermicorno: Starfall, Super Team Canada, Molly of Denali, Kim’s Convenience, Highway Thru Hell, Boot Camp and Sidelined: The QB and Me. Thunderbird Distribution and Thunderbird Brands manage global media and consumer products rights, respectively, for the Company and select third parties. Thunderbird is on Facebook, X, and Instagram at @tbirdent. For more information, visit: www.thunderbird.tv.

ABOUT WINDY ISLE ENTERTAINMENT

Windy Isle Entertainment is a Toronto-based production company dedicated to creating fun, thoughtful, and inspiring content for kids. Led by industry veterans Phil McCordic and Shereen Ali, Windy Isle prides itself on its strong positive messaging, emphasizing inclusion and diversity, both in front of and behind the camera. Through Windy Isle Digital, the company expands its storytelling from television into the gaming world, developing immersive Roblox experiences based on popular TV shows, where fans can play, explore, and engage with their favourite characters like never before. Windy Isle is shaping the future of family entertainment, building lasting brands that uplift audiences through the power of imagination. For more information, visit windyisle.com.

ABOUT CBC/RADIO-CANADA

CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster. Through our mandate to inform, enlighten and entertain, we play a central role in strengthening Canadian culture. As Canada’s trusted news source, we offer a uniquely Canadian perspective on news, current affairs and world affairs. Our distinctively homegrown entertainment programming draws audiences from across the country. Deeply rooted in communities, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages. We also deliver content in Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Punjabi and Tagalog, as well as both official languages, through Radio Canada International (RCI). We are leading the transformation to meet the needs of Canadians in a digital world.

Neither the TSX-V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX-V) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release, which has been prepared by management.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release includes statements containing “forward-looking information” for purposes of applicable securities laws (“forward-looking statements”). Forward-looking statements are indicated by the use of words such as “anticipate”, “continue”, “estimate”, “expect”, “forecast”, “may”, “will”, “plan”, “project”, “should”, “believe”, “intend”, or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this document include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to plans to continue building out Thunderbird Distribution’s operations with third-party titles and original series, anticipated production and launch of Mittens & Pants, and the performance, results and outcomes related to these titles.

Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: general business, economic and social uncertainties; legislative, environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; product capability and acceptance; and other factors set out in the “Risks and Uncertainty” section of the Company’s management discussion and analysis for the period ended March 31, 2024. and technology changes. The foregoing is not an exhaustive list. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to Thunderbird or that management believes to be less significant may also adversely affect the Company and the assumptions and estimates relied upon in connection with making the forward-looking statements contemplated herein.

The forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release represent the Company’s views as of the date hereof and as such information should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any date subsequent to the date of this news release. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws.

Thunderbird third-party acquisition Mittens & Pants, from Windy Isle Entertainment, has been greenlit for a third season by CBC. A Roblox game based on the adorable live-action series has also just launched, and Mittens & Pants has attracted more than 65 million views across its YouTube, TikTok and Instagram accounts to date. (Photo: Business Wire)

DENVER (AP) — Among the throng of blue-clad BYU fans who packed Ball Arena to witness the Cougars' narrow escape against Wisconsin was Jimmer Fredette.

BYU's last basketball blue-chipper, Fredette sweated it out with the rest of the Cougars fans as they watched Wisconsin scratch and claw and come within another John Tonje basket of sending what had once been a 14-point laugher into overtime Saturday night.

Tonje burned BYU for 37 points — the most by any player in this edition of March Madness so far — but his final shot came up short and when Keba Keita corralled the rebound and took off with a mile-high smile, the Cougars were 91-89 winners.

“Yeah, I was nervous,” Fredette told The Associated Press in the jubilant BYU section of first-level seats. “Look, you watched the game and you’re kind of like, ‘How did we get to a two-point game here, you know?’

“But look, I think that describes this team. They fight, they’re resilient and play with heart and energy. And you’re going to win a lot of games doing that.”

The Cougars are on their way to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2011, when Fredette was jacking up jumpers at the beginning of a basketball journey that would include six seasons in the NBA and an appearance in the Paris Olympics for the United States' 3x3 team.

Fredette was in uniform in this very arena the last time the Cougars earned a Sweet 16 berth, with an 89-67 win over Gonzaga 14 years ago.

Now, Fredette has another reason to love Ball Arena — which was called Pepsi Center back when he was in college.

Fredette couldn't be happier for — or prouder of — his alma mater.

“It's been an incredible, incredible team to follow, to watch,” Fredette said. “I think I've caught the last four games that they've played this year. And man, I love how this team plays, the energy, the passion.”

He loves how coach Kevin Young has brought elements of the NBA with him to Provo, Utah, including NBA-caliber talent.

“I don't know all the X's and O's associated with basketball but I like what Kevin has done. And obviously, I'm closely connected to the program. I've heard nothing but good things about having the players and how they bought into what he brought in,” Fredette said.

The last player drafted out of BYU was Fredette, back in 2011. Now, Egor Demon, the 6-foot-9 swingman from Moscow, could be one-and-done, and next year the Cougars will get AJ Dybansta, the nation’s top recruit who made a splash this season when he signed an NIL deal with BYU that's reportedly worth between $5 million and $7 million.

Fredette smiled as he talked about his school suddenly being the talk of the NCAA Tournament and a desired destination for top talent.

“Yeah, a lot of excitement,” Fredette said.

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here.

Wisconsin guard John Tonje, right, drives past BYU guard Egor Demin during the second half in the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament Saturday, March 22, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/John Leyba)

Wisconsin forward Nolan Winter, left, blocks a shot by BYU center Keba Keita (13) during the second half in the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament Saturday, March 22, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)