Apple TV+ has signed a multiyear overall deal with The Maurice Sendak Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports the artistic legacy of “Where the Wild Things Are” author Maurice Sendak and promotes emerging artists in children’s literature and theater design.
As part of the deal, Apple and The Maurice Sendak Foundation will reimagine new children’s series and specials based on Sendak’s books and illustrations. Any projects that come out of the deal will premiere both domestically and internationally exclusively on Apple TV+.
This is the first overall deal that the foundation has signed with any streaming service. Through the deal, Apple will work with Arthur Yorinks, a writer-director and longtime collaborator of Sendak’s, through his Night Kitchen Studios to develop projects inspired by Sendak’s works.
Sendak, who died in 2012, first rose to prominence in 1963 with his hit picture-book “Where The Wild Things Are,” which has sold over 20 million copies to date and has also been made into a feature film. His other popular works include “Chicken Soup With Rice,” “In The Night Kitchen,” “Pierre: A Cautionary Tale,” “Higglety Pigglety Pop! Or There Must Be More to Life,” and the “Little Bear” series.
The Sendak deal joins others that Apple has inked with franchises including “Sesame Workshop,” “Peanuts” and the Jim Henson Company for “Fraggle Rock.”
Apple’s existing kids and family lineup includes “Helpsters,” “Ghostwriter” from Sesame Workshop, “Snoopy in Space,” and the Emmy-nominated “Peanuts in Space: Secrets of Apollo 10.”