Award-Winning Composer Danny Elfman Boards Kartoon’s ‘Winnie and Friends’ Project

Kartoon Studios has announced that multi-award-winning composer Danny Elfman, whose work has featured in a roster of films achieving more than $16.8 billion at the worldwide box office, has joined the creative team of its reimagined animated franchise Hundred Acre Wood’s Winnie and Friends.

“The stories of Winnie-the-Pooh hold a timeless innocence and quiet magic that I deeply admire,” said Elfman. “My goal with the theme is to honor A.A. Milne’s enduring spirit, while giving Kartoon Studios’ new interpretation a melody that will feel instantly familiar yet fresh for today’s audiences.”

Multi-Academy Award nominated and Emmy & Grammy Award-winning Elfman — whose resume includes scores for films such as Batman, Beetlejuice, Men in Black, the Spider-Man trilogy, Avengers: Age of Ultron, The Grinch, Edward Scissorhands, Alice in Wonderland and The Nightmare Before Christmas, as well as the theme for The Simpsons — will compose the original theme song for the project.

Billed as the most ambitious franchise initiative in Kartoon Studios’ history, Hundred Acre Wood’s Winnie and Friends will launch with a package of 208 seven-minute episodes, and a package of five holiday specials that reimagine A.A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh for a new generation. The first special is set to premiere in December 2026, with an early sneak peek arriving Christmas Eve 2025 — timed to celebrate after the100th anniversary of the original publication of Milne’s classic.

Elfman joins previously announced executive producer Linda Woolverton, the screenwriter behind the live-action reimaginings The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Alice in Wonderland and Maleficent; and creative director John Rivoli, who has bolstered consumer product programs for Harry Potter, Batman, The Lord of the Rings and SpongeBob SquarePants, among others.

“Working with Danny Elfman again, after our collaboration on Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, is a privilege,” said Woolverton. “Danny’s music brings imagination and emotional depth like no one else and to have him join us in reimagining Winnie-the-Pooh for a new generation is a gift.”

“Danny’s music has always defined moments of magic, mystery and wonder,” said Rivoli. “Bringing his artistry into the Winnie and Friends gives our creative team a voice that perfectly balances nostalgia with something new.”

Andy Heyward, Chairman & CEO of Kartoon Studios, commented on the announcement: “Danny Elfman is one of the most iconic composers in film history, and we are honored to have him bring his genius to Winnie and Friends. Having Danny’s artistry, Linda’s brilliance and John’s creative vision is an extraordinary moment for our studio. Winnie-the-Pooh is one of the most beloved and commercially successful properties in the world, having generated approximately $80 billion in retail sales. The launch of our first special in December 2026 will mark the beginning of what we expect will be a global franchise that will endure for decades and create long-term shareholder value.”