MUMBAI: France’s Canal+ and the UK’s CBBC have acquired the broadcast rights to Twisted Whiskers CGI-animated entertainment series which is produced by American Greetings Properties, Taffy Entertainment and DQ Entertainment, in association with Mike Young Productions (MYP).

Now in production, Twisted Whiskers, targeted at boys and girls 4-12 years old, is scheduled for an early 2009 debut. The series includes 52 ten-minute episodes and 30-second shorts in high-definition.

The Twisted Whiskers animated series is based on the American Greetings Corporation card line featuring a twisted bunch of cats and dogs. Launched in 2001, Twisted Whiskers became the fastest-selling summer social expressions line ever developed by American Greetings Corporation.

"It’s a testament to the strength of American Greetings Properties and the Twisted Whiskers brand that high-profile broadcasters like Canal+ and BBC have signed on so early in the production process. We have received interest from a number of major broadcasters and we anticipate new deals will be announced soon. This is a hilarious show with some of the most lovable and addictive characters," said Taffy Entertainment president worldwide sales Lionel Marty.

"We see Twisted Whiskers as a 21st century extension of Looney Tunes in the sense that each segment is treated like a self-contained theatrical short where we mix & match a core group of strong and uniquely off-beat pet characters in a wide variety of scenarios. We are confident that its squash & stretch fur animation, rendered in full HD, will only make the humor and characters of Twisted Whiskers all the more endearing," explains American Greetings Properties vice president development & production Sean Gorman.