M-AI-ya The Bee: AI-Driven French Studio Animaj And Studio 100 Relaunching Iconic European Franchise

Animaj and Studio 100 International have agreed to a partnership to relaunch the iconic European franchise Maya the Bee.

Paris-based digital-first kids’ studio Animaj has joint ownership of the property and control of rights outside the DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) and Benelux territories, while Studio 100 retains those regions along with feature film and theme-park rights. Financial terms for the deal were not disclosed in the companies’ press release.

The partnership arrives as Maya the Bee marks its 50th anniversary on screen. Both companies say the goal is to reintroduce the character to a new generation of children by expanding beyond traditional broadcast into YouTube, short-form video, games, music, and other digital-native formats. Animaj will lead digital strategy, international licensing, and new series development, using what it calls an AI-driven production pipeline to deliver content quickly for multiple platforms.

Studio 100 will continue to handle theatrical films for the property, including the recently announced spin-off Arnie & Barney, and theme-park integration, as well as overseeing the brand in German-speaking countries and Benelux.

Studio 100 CEO Martin Krieger and co-founder Hans Bourlon framed the move as a way to “bring new energy” to the long-running property while respecting its heritage. Animaj founders Gregory Dray and Sixte de Vauplane said the alliance reflects how kids now primarily discover brands online and on platforms like YouTube rather than through linear TV.

The collaboration underscores a larger industry trend: legacy children’s IP is being revived with digital-first strategies and AI-assisted production to reach global audiences. Animaj, which reports 242 million monthly unique viewers on YouTube and ranks among the platform’s top five kids’ content networks, has been positioning itself as a buyer and modernizer of classic kids’ brands. Studio 100 — producer and distributor of Maya the Bee, Mia and Me, Heidi, Vic the Viking, and 100% Wolf — remains one of Europe’s most active players in feature animation and themed entertainment.

Future Maya the Bee announcements, including new content formats and international initiatives, are expected in the coming months as the two companies roll out their shared plan to keep the century-old character relevant for another generation.