Rainbow Acquires Geronimo Stilton IP, No Mention Of The Previously-Announced Feature Adaptation

Rainbow, an independent Italian entertainment company helmed by Iginio Straffi, has acquired the IP rights to Geronimo Stilton, one of the most successful children’s publishing brands of the past two decades.

Created by Elisabetta Dami, the long-running book series has sold more than 190 million copies in over 50 languages, establishing the journalist mouse as a global cultural phenomenon.

In the release, Rainbow founder Iginio Straffi said:

The Geronimo Stilton books have helped shape the imagination of millions of children in Italy and around the world. Welcoming this character into our family is a great honour and a great responsibility: we believe in the strength of his values and in his ability to continue to inspire young readers. Our commitment will be to support him on a growth path that can expand into new media and new forms of expression, while remaining faithful to the spirit that has made him unique.

Before this acquisition, Rainbow already represented Geronimo Stilton globally for licensing and publishing. According to the company, full ownership of the IP now positions Rainbow to further expand the franchise across editorial, digital, and entertainment platforms.

Although today’s release doesn’t mention any Geronimo animation plans specifically, it does recognize the franchise’s previous successes in the medium, as well as Rainbow’s popular Winx Club animated saga, so there is certainly reason to believe that the company will continue to utilize the IP’s draw through future animated projects.

Notably absent, however, is any mention of the Geronimo Stilton feature adaptation revealed in 2023, which was set to be written and directed by Captain Underpants director David Soren. We don’t want to speculate precisely what that means, but it does seem telling that an already confirmed theatrical feature from a big-name director wouldn’t be included in this kind of notice. We’ve asked for an update on the project, but have not heard back from Rainbow.

Rainbow says 2026 will mark the beginning of a “sensational new chapter” for the brand, with new editorial, digital, and entertainment initiatives aimed at engaging future generations.