On September 18, during Milan Licensing Day, DeAPlaneta Entertainment celebrated its 25th anniversary. The gathering provided an opportunity to reflect on the group’s quarter-century of success and present its new strategic directions, solidifying its position as a leader in family and children’s entertainment with a growing presence throughout Italy. This fête followed its anniversary gala in Madrid at the Real Teatro de Retiro, which brought together partners, collaborators and key international players from across the entertainment sector.
“Since our inception with an Italian founding partner, Gruppo De Agostini, we have built a deep connection with Italy and its audience,” said Ignacio Segura de Lassaletta, CEO of DeAPlaneta Entertainment. “Italy is not only a key market for us but also a creative partner with which we co-produce content. Our strength lies in building stories with an international vision while remaining deeply rooted in our culture, creativity, and commitment to design excellence. Today, we are proud to say that DeAPlaneta Entertainment is undergoing a phase of growth and evolution as a production company, as well as in our exploration of new interactive formats, video games and FAST TV platforms.”
DeAPlaneta Entertainment operates on an international level, with a presence in 33 European countries. The company’s Kids & Family division works with major global players, including Mediawan, Animaj, On Animation, Superprod, Cottonwood, Studio 100, Animoka, Mobo and SAMG, to create original content. The studio’s portfolio is filled with co-productions such as Milo, Karters and Magic Lilly, and it manages prestigious brand licenses in Italy, including Miraculous, Pocoyo and Grendizer U. Its catalog features evergreen IP like Maya the Bee, Heidi, The World of David the Gnome and Around the World with Willy Fog, along with new acquisitions like Mia & Codie and WonderPals, showcasing its ability to balance tradition with innovation.
“2025 is a symbolic year for us: in addition to our anniversary, we are celebrating 50 years of Maya the Bee, one of the most iconic IPs in our catalog,” noted Chief Brand Officer Diego Ibáñez Belaustegui. “Strong collaborations with international partners have allowed us to develop successful brands, such as Miraculous. We are extremely proud of Milo‘s journey as we approach the launch of its third season. We aim to replicate its global success with Magic Lilly and the launch of the WonderPals transmedia universe. We not only have offices across Europe and distribute content and licenses worldwide, but we also produce entertainment with top industry experts, building profitable and lasting relationships globally.”
Gianluca Ferrara, Head of Italy & International Head of Toys, added, “With the new titles we are presenting, we want to highlight what makes our approach unique: our tailor-made treatment of the IPs we manage. This approach is far from standardized, one-size-fits-all approaches. We have a strong territorial presence with offices and teams that are entirely and specifically dedicated to the Italian market. For us, this means combining aesthetics and content while focusing on the art of storytelling and attention to detail. This deeply Mediterranean and genuine spirit allows us to speak to a global audience with a unique, clear and recognizable voice.”
During the event, DeAPlaneta Entertainment presented its flagship projects and latest developments:
Milo
The third season of Milo, for which DeAPlaneta Entertainment holds the full ownership, is currently in production. Milo, produced in 2021 and launched in Italy in 2022, is a celebration of curiosity and the desire to explore and learn. It features a charming, positive character who recounts the beauty and complexity of everyday life in various professions alongside his adventure companions, Lofty and Lark. A wide variety of uniforms arrive at his parents’ laundry every day. While the washing machine gets to work, Milo and his friends dress up in the clothes of a profession and explore that world. Together, they learn how wonderful it is to be useful to others and encourage children to dream of becoming whatever they want to be.
Season 2 of Milo airs on Rai Yoyo and is available on Rai Play. New short-form series with original formats, such as Milo’s Bookreads, Milo’s Creations and Milosodes, debuted on YouTube and other digital platforms. The Milo’s Music Box project offers children’s songs and lullabies in Italian.
Miraculous
The globally successful animated series Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir is celebrating its 10th anniversary. It stars Marinette, a seemingly ordinary teenager who is anything but. She is different from everyone else and leads a double life. During the day, she’s a dreamer who thinks about her crush, Adrien, but at night, she transforms into a superheroine: Ladybug. What Marinette cannot imagine, however, is that Adrien also has a secret identity as Cat Noir. Neither of them knows the other’s secret, yet their paths continue to cross during their adventures.
DeAPlaneta Entertainment manages the licensing rights for the brand in Italy, Spain, Portugal and the EEC. Season 6 will soon debut in Italy.
WonderPals
WonderPals is a new transmedia universe that takes viewers on a journey of discovery through emotions. The characters are inspired by the idea that emotions never disappear but instead travel and transform into little creatures on the imaginary planet Wabii-Sabii. Each Pal is unique and carries an emotion to share, becoming an ambassador of kindness, empathy, and connection. WonderPals is a narrative ecosystem combining apps, digital content, and licensed products to create a “phygital” experience built around the universal values of emotion and empathy.
Magic Lilly
The new project co-produced by DeAPlaneta Entertainment is the highly anticipated animated series Magic Lilly. It is the sequel to the story from the publishing phenomenon of the same name, which has sold over 28 million copies worldwide. Magic Lilly follows the new adventures of the enterprising teenager Lilly Traveller. After years of magical training, she embarks on a dangerous mission to recover the lost pages of the Book of Spells before they fall into the wrong hands, while trying to reconcile her life as a witch with that of a normal girl.
DeAPlaneta Entertainment: La Casa dei Classici
“La Casa dei Classici” embodies the most authentic and historic essence of the DeAPlaneta Entertainment portfolio, preserving brands that have inspired generations. In collaboration with Studio 100, La Casa dei Classici brings together iconic properties such as Maya the Bee and Heidi, as well as titles from the historic BRB catalog, including The World of David the Gnome, Around the World with Willy Fog, Bernard and Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds. La Casa dei Classici is a treasure trove of stories that are part of the international collective imagination. These stories have the ability to renew themselves over time while maintaining their emotional power intact. La Casa dei Classici does not only look to the past, but is an evolving project that celebrates the cultural heritage of these brands and reintroduces them to new generations through innovative formats, events and new productions.
Maya the Bee
2025 marks the 50th anniversary of Maya the Bee, one of the most iconic and beloved properties in the DeAPlaneta Entertainment portfolio. Maya symbolizes the company’s ability to tell stories that appeal to all generations. In October, Maya’s first musical will make her debut in Italy, a collaboration between DeAPlaneta Entertainment, All Crazy Art & Show and S.M. Sales & Consulting.
To celebrate the anniversary, there will be a variety of licensing initiatives and events, including the opening of Maya’s House at the BEE it beekeeping oasis in Milan, the launch of the Maya Art Figures project, which invites 15 artists to reinterpret a 3D Maya figurine, and a special collaboration with Poste Italiane to release a Maya-dedicated stamp.
Heidi
Heidi is a global brand loved by generations, with classic and CGI series broadcast in 170 countries. A symbol of nature, authenticity and nostalgia, Heidi remains one of the most beloved children’s characters, amassing millions of views on Netflix and YouTube. The cultural value of Heidi has been recognized through the inclusion of its archives in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register and the creation of the Heidiseum, a cultural space that hosts international exhibitions.
Goldrake & Grendizer U
Created by Go Nagai, Goldrake was the first Japanese anime series to be broadcast in Italy, in 1978. It became a cultural phenomenon and intergenerational icon, ushering in a new era in television animation. Now, Goldrake returns with Grendizer U, a visually stunning and narratively relevant reboot that continues the epic tale of Actarus and his robot, while preserving the values of friendship, courage, and resilience that have inspired generations. Starting in October, the classic series with restored episodes will air on Rai 2, alongside Grendizer U, and will be available on Rai Play.
Learn more at deaplanetaentertainment.com.
