The immensely popular series of children’s fantasy books, Beast Quest, are finally being adapted into an animated series. Written by Adam Blade (a pseudonym for countless ghost writers), the first book, Ferno was published in 2007. Over the last 17 years, over 140 books have been published in the main series, along with over 20 special edition stories, and other spin-offs.
Variety reports the new animated series is being developed by Superprod and Coolabi. Superprod Group are best known for producing various children’s animated shows and movies, including Batwheels, Spirit Rangers, and My Life in Versailles. Coolabi Group are a multi-media corporation, producing shows, books, and apps for IPs like Clangers, Bagpuss, and Giraffes Can’t Dance.
The animated series will closely follow the overarching plot of the books. The heroes Tom and Elenna are tasked with the perilous mission of protecting the Kingdom of Avantia, which is slowly being corrupted by the sorcerer Malvel. Using his dark magic, Malvel is corrupting the powerful beasts across the land, which Tom and Elenna must defeat on their journey. The Beast Quest novels acted as interlinked anthologies, meaning each book told a standalone story, all set in the same universe with a vaguely overarching plot.
The first book, Ferno, introduced audiences to Tom and the Kingdom of Avantia. The unlikely hero was tasked with investigating the titular dragon, who was once a protector of the Southern Kingdom’s Winding River, it’s only source of drinking water. However, the dragon was corrupted by Malvel, and began wreaking havoc on the nearby towns.
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The show is still in early-development, and it has not been confirmed how many episodes each season will run for. However, the report confirms that the episodes will last for under 30 minutes. Most interestingly, Beast Quest will be brought to life with “CG and hybrid animation techniques with a bespoke aesthetic being developed for the IP.”
In a statement, Alexi Wheeler of Wheel in Motion (one of Superprod’s subsidiaries) expressed their excitement at bringing the Beast Quest IP to life through animation. “This is a beloved brand with immense storytelling potential,” Wheeler said, continuing, “With its action-packed narrative and a vast universe of creatures, we are confident that the animated series will capture the imagination of a new generation of viewers, just as the books have done for nearly 20 years.”
CEO of The Coolabi Group, Jeremy Banks, also shared his excitement about the new project. He said, “Beast Quest is a publishing phenomenon that resonates with kids today every bit as much as it did when it first launched almost twenty years ago. We can’t wait to bring the series to screens and devices around the world.”
The world of Beast Quest is inspired by fantasy classics like J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia, and even Terry Pratchett’s Discworld. The novels are often considered a gateway for children to get into the fantasy genre.
No production or release timeline has been announced yet. But, given there are over 160 books in the series, Beast Quest could become a long-running children’s fantasy staple, providing it is executed well.
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