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Wyncor & OuiDo! Productions Form Distribution Biz & Team For Toons

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5 months ago

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EXCLUSIVE: Toy firm Wyncor and French toon house OuiDo! Productions have formed a worldwide distribution operation, as they team to produce a pair of animated series.

Wyncor Content Distribution becomes the latest player on the international sales market, with both sides taking a 50% stake in the joint venture.

The rationale for Sandrine Nguyen and Boris Hertzog’s OuiDo!, known for work on the likes of ALVINNN!!! and The Chipmunks and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse+, is scaling its portfolio of IP internationally, while toy firm Wyncor is seeking to create a franchise-focused entertainment model. Last year, we revealed the company had hired former Disney and Mediawan exec Eric Rouillé to begin the push into distribution.

The sales company’s formation could be seen as a bright spark in the troubled global animation sector, with many shows struggling for financing and distribution complicated by direct-to-consumer models. France’s widely-respected toon sector has been hit harder than most, with several major companies such as Cyber Group Studios going to the wall amid the financial crisis in animation.

At the center of Wyncor and OuiDo!’s new pact are animated shows The Kwaaks! and Babs!, both 52-part series for children.

The Kwaaks! is based on Wyncor’s collectible plush toy brand, which recently launched at Toys “R” Us and Tiy Kingdom. Aiming at kids 5-8 and families, the action-comedy being billed as a “bold new twist to the superhero genre.” Set in Sunny City, it follows five superheroes who accidentally transform into extraordinary hybrid creatures called The Kwaaks! after a battle with a rogue tech villain. They have to master their new forms, while protecting the city.

OuiDo! is taking a 40% stake in the brand as part of the development, which the partners claim underscores “long-term franchise potential.”

The second show is Babs!, a CG-animated adventure series about a girl who can talk to animals. She runs a one-of-a-kind babysitting service for animals from across the globe, and uses creativity, teamwork and heart to save the day alongside her best friends.

“This is a defining moment for Wyncor,” said Julian Jacob, founder and CEO of Wyncor. “We are building a new kind of entertainment company – one where products, storytelling, and audience engagement are developed hand-in-hand from day one. Partnering with OuiDo! allows us to scale that vision globally with world-class creative and production expertise.”

Jacob founded Wyncor as a ‘toystech’ company in 2022, but is better known as an investor on Qui veut être mon associé, the French version of Shark Tank. Besides developing and making its own IP, Wyncor also manufactures and distributes toys based on franchises such as Dungeons & Dragons, Paw Patrol, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, SpongeBob SquarePants and Transformers. The company has teams based in the U.S., France, Spain, China, the UK and Latin America.

As for OuiDo!, the deal comes soon after it launched Disney+ seroes MagiCampers, and counts new seasons of shows such as Sonic Boom, Monchhichi and Gus – The Itsy Bitsy Knight as recent credits. The Paris-based toon maker is part of OuiDo! Media Group, which animation industry veterans Nguyen and Hertzog run to create TV shows and feature films.

“At OuiDo!, we believe IP needs to be built from day one with both creative vision and market reality in mind,” said Nguyen. “Wyncor’s product-first approach is incredibly complementary to our experience in premium animation and international co-productions. Together, we are uniquely positioned to launch standout franchises to resonate with audiences worldwide.”

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Queer Romance ‘No Rest For The Wicked’ Gets North America Release Deal

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15 minutes ago

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September 28, 2026

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EXCLUSIVE: Altered Innocence has acquired all North American rights to Kasper Kalle’s queer gothic romance No Rest For The Wicked.

The film, which world-premiered in Competition at the 2026 Fantasia International Film Festival won the Cheval Noir Award for Best Director and the Cheval Noir Award for Best Actor (Pilou Asbæk). It will continue its festival run ahead of a theatrical release in 2027.

Set against the windswept landscapes of the Faroe Islands in 1862, the movie follows Baldur (Egor Venned), “a young fisherman whose isolated life is transformed by the arrival of Helge (Pilou Asbæk), a rugged Danish whaler. As a forbidden attraction grows between the two men, tragedy unleashes supernatural forces upon their deeply religious community. Baldur and Helge’s passion gives rise to a haunting tale of love that refuses to die”

The movie is inspired by Karl Heinrich Ulrichs’ 1885 short story Manor, an early work of queer Gothic literature published more than a decade before Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

The deal was negotiated between Frank Jaffe from Altered Innocence and Hélène Espeisse from Charades.

Written by Rasmus Birch and directed by Kasper Kalle, the movie stars Pilou Asbæk (Game of Thrones), Egor Venned, Sofia Nolsøe Mikkelsen, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson and Kjartan Hansen. Pic film was produced by Lars Bredo Rahbek for SF Studios, with Faroese Outlier Projects (Faroe Islands) and Truenorth (Iceland) co-producing; with support from the Danish Film Institute and the Faroese Film Institute.

“I’ve always had a huge love for queer horror, so it’s especially exciting to get to release one that operates at this level,” said Altered Innocence founder Frank Jaffe. “No Rest For The Wicked is a stunning, sexy and deeply romantic gothic tale that I can’t wait for fans to sink their teeth into!”

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Tom Segura Tour Dates For 2027 Unveiled (EXCLUSIVE)

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20 minutes ago

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September 28, 2026

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EXCLUSIVE: Comedian Tom Segura has announced the first leg of his new stand-up comedy tour, Tom Segura: Preposterous, which includes 30 cities, beginning with Baton Rouge, LA on January 8.

Tickets will be available on presale starting Wednesday, September 30th at 10 a.m. local time before the general on sale Friday, October 2nd. Stay tuned for more 2027 dates for Segura, who’s going on tour for the first time since his global Come Together run spanning 2024-2025.

Before hitting the road, Segura will be headlining the first-ever Fastball Comedy Festival at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ. He’s on a bill with Bill Burr and Rachel Feinstein for October 17; Dave Chappelle and Andrew Santino will be performing the following night.

Check out Segura’s current set of 2027 dates below.

Currently, Segura is filming Golf Trip, a new comedy from Live Nation Studios, Hartbeat and All Things Comedy, alongside Santino, Timothy Simons, John Stamos, and Heather Graham. Outside of stand-up, he’s also known for Bad Thoughts, the dark comedy series he created, wrote, directed and produced for Netflix through his company, Your Mom’s House Studios. The series was Emmy-nominated this year for Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series, with Segura himself scoring a nom for his performance the year prior.

Recently, Segura also produced and starred in the R-rated comedy El Tigre. His Come Together Tour culminated with the release of his sixth Netflix special, Teacher, on Christmas Eve 2025. Also the founder and operator of podcast network Your Mom’s House Studios, he is repped by WME, Mosaic, and Jackoway Austen Tyerman.

Tom Segura: Preposterous Tour Dates:
Saturday, October 17, 2026 – Mesa, AZ – Sloan Park at Fastball Comedy Festival (on sale now)
Friday, January 8, 2027 – Baton Rouge, LA – L’Auberge Casino Hotel Baton Rouge
Saturday, January 9, 2027 – Bossier City, LA – Margaritaville Resort Casino – Paradise Theater
Friday, January 15, 2027 – Des Moines, IA – Des Moines Civic Center
Saturday, January 16, 2027 – Omaha, NE – Orpheum Theater
Saturday, January 23, 2027 – Durant, OK – Choctaw Grand Theater
Friday, January 29, 2027 – Highland, CA – Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel Yaamava’ Theater Saturday, January 30, 2027 – Las Vegas, NV – Pearl Concert Theatre at Palms Casino Resort
Thursday, February 11, 2027 – Fresno, CA – William Saroyan Theatre
Friday, February 12, 2027 – Rohnert Park, CA – Graton Resort & Casino – The Event
Saturday, February 13, 2027 – Rohnert Park, CA – Graton Resort & Casino – The Event
Thursday, February 18, 2027 – Mount Pleasant, MI – Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort – Entertainment Hall Saturday, February 20, 2027 – Detroit, MI – Fox Theatre
Friday, March 5, 2027 – Rockford, IL – Hard Rock Casino Rockford
Saturday, March 6, 2027 – Gary, IN – Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana
Thursday, April 1, 2027 – Savannah, GA – Johnny Mercer Theatre
Friday, April 2, 2027 – Saint Augustine, FL – The Saint Augustine Amphitheatre
Saturday, April 3, 2027 – Hollywood, FL – Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood
Thursday, April 8, 2027 – Nashville, TN – Grand Ole Opry House
Thursday, April 22, 2027 – North Charleston, SC – North Charleston Performing Arts Center
Saturday, April 24, 2027 – Atlanta, GA – Fox Theatre
Thursday, April 29, 2027 – Niagara Falls, ON – Fallsview Casino Resort
Friday, April 30, 2027 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena
Saturday, May 1, 2027 – Verona, NY – The Event Center
Friday, May 7, 2027 – Charlotte, NC – Ovens Auditorium
Saturday, May 8, 2027 – Cary, NC – Koka Booth Amphitheatre
Sunday, May 9, 2027 – Virginia Beach, VA – The Dome
Thursday, May 20, 2027 – Pittsburgh, PA – Rivers Casino Pittsburgh – The Event Center
Friday, May 21, 2027 – Pittsburgh, PA – Rivers Casino Pittsburgh – The Event Center
Saturday, May 22, 2027 – Columbus, OH – Palace Theatre
Sunday, May 23, 2027 – Cleveland, OH – Playhouse Square – Connor Palace
Thursday, May 27, 2027 – Kennewick, WA – Toyota Center
Friday, May 28, 2027 – Ridgefield, WA – ilani Event Center
Saturday, May 29, 2027 – Reno, NV – Grand Sierra Resort – Grand Theatre

This story originated as part of Deadline’s Comedy Means Business newsletter. Sign up here.

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Harry Smith To Return To NBC News As A Contributor

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27 minutes ago

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September 28, 2026

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Harry Smith is returning to NBC News as a contributor, with plans to report on feature stories called Common Good.

Smith’s return is official as of Monday, when he will appear at a Common Ground live event hosted by the network. The network confirmed his return, first reported by People. He told the publication, “I have long believed that there is more that unites us than divides us. It’s in our bones. It’s part of America’s DNA.”

Smith departed the network in March, 2024 after 12 years, with a send off on NBC’s Today. “I have nothing but gratitude,” he said. “Every time I would always come on this show, I was always welcomed so generously. I’ve had just this unbelievable array of phenomenal experiences since coming to NBC, and so I’m really full of nothing but gratitude. Every time I’ve come on, everyone would drop their phones, pay attention to the story and then respond.”

Smith previously hosted CBS This Morning and its predecessor, The Early Show, for 17 years. After departing NBC News in 2024, he has been teaching at Central College in Iowa.

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