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Winnie the Pooh is a getting an AI-assisted cartoon makeover, courtesy of Amazon's Prime Video (Sorry, Disney)
If anyone has enough lawyers to keep the Walt Disney Company at bay, it's Amazon
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When the copyright on Winnie the Pooh ran out in 2022, it became a free-for-all for everyone to create their own version of the iconic character. Almost immediately, Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey was announced, followed swiftly by an upcoming sequel. Now, it looks like Amazon Prime wants to dip their hands into that copyright-free honey pot, announcing a new animated series to try to siphon off some of that sweet Pooh Bear money while they can.
Kartoon Studios, the animation studio behind the new animated series, made the announcement via a press release on their website. Along with a 104-episode series to run over four years, Amazon's Prime Video will also run an animated holiday movie and five holiday specials featuring the copyright-free version of Pooh, Piglet, and Tigger. Predictably, there will also be a whole mountain of merchandise in stores around the US based on the character. And there is nothing that the House of Mouse can do about it.
So long as the studio sticks to the designs laid out in A.A. Milne’s books and steers clear of anything Disney can lay claim to – namely Pooh’s trademark red shirt and other unique parts of his Disney design – Kartoon Studios and Prime Video should be in the clear to see the new Winnie the Pooh series kick off. Thus far, the company has showcased the “yarn-based” look to the character that will help them remain distinct from any Disney content. That look was at least partially developed using AI technology, though the press release was quick to specify that actual artists were still involved in the final product.
Kartoon Studios and Amazon Prime Video’s first Winnie the Pooh holiday special is already set for a December 25, 2025 release date.
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