David Levine Exiting Candle Media’s Moonbug Entertainment After Spell As Head Of Studio At ‘CoComelon’ Company

deadline.com:

EXCLUSIVE: Former Disney exec David Levine is exiting kids entertainment powerhouse Moonbug Entertainment, Deadline has learned.

The well-liked exec has been Head of Studios since December 2020.London- and LA-based Moonbug launched in 2018 and quickly made a name for itself after its Little Baby Bum series became a YouTube sensation, with Levine hired two years later to expand its brands.

These also include YouTube and Netflix hit CoComelon and Blippi.Moonbug confirmed his exit in a statement to Deadline: “We thank David for his dedication and hard work leading Moonbug Studios through a period of significant growth.”According to a LinkedIn post, Levine is now exiting to “explore new areas” and was “looking forward to new adventures.”Levine is best known for a 16-year spell at Disney as Vice President of Media Networks and Content in Europe and Africa, during which time he oversaw local children’s channels, commissioned and developed the Emmy-nominated Evermoor, plus First Class Chefs, The Lodge and 101 Dalmatian Street.In a LinkedIn post, Levine said: “It’s been a great experience leading the Moonbug Studio team, producing 25+ digital-first series; original CoComelon, Blippi and Little Baby Bum series for top streamers like Netflix and Amazon Kids+; scores of albums, podcasts for Spotify and more; bringing content to kids worldwide in over 25 languages; and expanding representation in our content,” added Levine.Tom Staggs and Kevin Mayer’s Candle Media acquired Moonbug for a deal that could be worth $3BN in November 2021.

Its programming appears in 27 languages on more than 100 platforms around the world, carried by the likes of Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, HBO, Amazon and Sky.