Mo Willems and HBO let The Pigeon do his thing.
The Hollywood Reporter reports:
HBO Max has made a big commitment to its kids and family programming business, signing beloved children’s author Mo Willems to an exclusive multiyear deal.
The streamer won out in a competitive negotiation and will make Willems the first artist in residence at HBO Max — meaning that in addition to his work as a producer, he’ll put his talents as a writer, illustrator and personality to use for the company [emphasis added].
Emmy-writing writer Mo Willems is bringing his work to the small screen. In a competitive situation, HBO Max has signed an exclusive, multi-year deal with Willems, establishing the beloved children’s author as HBO Max’s first artist in residence. As part of the two-year deal, HBO Max has acquired streaming rights to Willems’ first live-action special Don’t Let the Pigeon Do Storytime! from Greg Silverman’s Stampede Ventures, who will produce all additional content under the deal. HBO Max has committed to additional live-action Storytime specials, as well as multiple animated specials based on Willems’ wildly popular children’s books. The first animated special will be based on New York Times bestseller, Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed.
