Canadian entertainment giant Blue Ant Media has officially completed its acquisition of Vancouver-based Thunderbird Entertainment, sealing a deal that brings one of the country’s busiest animation studios, Atomic Cartoons, into Blue Ant’s growing portfolio.
With the transaction finalized, Thunderbird is no longer a standalone public company, and its operations, spanning animation, scripted, and unscripted production, now fall within Blue Ant’s larger portfolio.
Over the past decade, Atomic has built a reputation as a reliable production partner for major global streamers and broadcasters, delivering series for preschool, kids, and family audiences, and more recently for adult viewers. The studio has also steadily expanded its creative ambitions, launching original IP such as Super Team Canada and The Last Kids on Earth.
The studio’s absorption into Blue Ant places it under the same umbrella as fellow Canadian outfit Jam Filled, immediately and significantly strengthening the parent company’s animation capabilities.
Leadership continuity appears to be part of the plan. Thunderbird CEO Jennifer Twiner McCarron will move into a senior role overseeing animation and youth production within Blue Ant Studios, signaling that Atomic’s operations and creative direction were key factors in the sale.
The road to closing was not entirely smooth, as some Thunderbird shareholders questioned aspects of the deal last year before approvals were ultimately granted. Now complete, the acquisition positions Blue Ant to compete more aggressively in children’s and family programming, with Atomic Cartoons serving as a key engine for future growth.
For Atomic, the shift could open new financing avenues and broaden its distribution reach as the studio, one of Canada’s busiest animation producers, continues expanding its global footprint.
