‘Craig of the Creek’ Renewed for Season 5, Cartoon Network and HBO Max Order Prequel Movie and Preschool Spinoff

Jennifer Maas
·3 min read

On the heels of Cartoon Network’s “Craig of the Creek” Season 4 premiere on Monday, WarnerMedia Kids & Family has already renewed the animated show for a fifth season and ordered prequel film “Craig of the Creek: The Movie” and preschool spinoff series “Jessica’s Big Little World” to expand the program into a franchise.

All three Cartoon Network Studios-produced projects will be available on both cable channel Cartoon Network and streaming service HBO Max, with rollout plans for where the titles launch first to be announced at a later date.

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“Craig of the Creek” follows the precocious Craig and his best friends Kelsey and J.P. as they transform everyday afternoons into extraordinary adventures through imaginative play at the neighborhood creek. Per Cartoon Network, Season 5, which will debut early next year, “delves deeper into the endless world of the Creek as Craig embarks on more journeys with friends new and old, finding adventure, mystery and fun around every bend.”

Also debuting in 2023 are “Craig of the Creek: The Movie” and “Jessica’s Big Little World.”

“Craig of the Creek: The Movie” is an origin story of the Creek’s bravest explorer that could only be told through the scope of a movie. Craig Williams is the shy, new kid in town, longing for his old home and life, per WarnerMedia. According to the press release, “Little does he know, he’ll soon set off on the biggest adventure he could ever dream of. Treasure maps, pirate ships, and a villain who wants to destroy the Creek are just the beginning in this treasure hunting epic!”

“Jessica’s Big Little World” is described as a preschool spinoff series that centers on Craig’s little sister Jessica “as she navigates her way through a world where everything seems much bigger than she is.” The description continues, “Although she’s the youngest and still needs help with a lot, Jessica is inspired by the grown-ups and bigger kids around her and is persistent in her quest to conquer monumental kid tasks like creating a bedtime routine or saying hi to a new classmate. With the help of her friends, imaginary and real, Jessica sets off to take on the world, even if she still does suck her thumb…sometimes.”

The preschool series is part of HBO Max and Cartoon Network’s Cartoonito block of pre-K programming and follows the lineup’s “humancentric learning” framework, aiming “to mirror important moments and milestones in children’s lives to help them recognize and appreciate that difficult experiences and feelings are universal.” “Jessica’s Big Little World” will weave together themes of communication, imaginative play and perseverance, as well as embrace age-appropriate strategies for overcoming obstacles throughout.

“Craig of the Creek,” “Craig of the Creek: The Movie” and “Jessica’s Big Little World” are executive produced and co-created by Emmy-nominated “Steven Universe” writers Matt Burnett and Ben Levin. Former “Craig of the Creek” supervising director Tiffany Ford also co-created and executive produces “Jessica’s Big Little World.”

“In ‘Craig of the Creek,’ Matt Burnett, Ben Levin, Tiffany Ford, and the entire crew created a charming, imaginative, and inclusive world that represents the best in kids animation,” Sam Register, president of Cartoon Network Studios and Warner Bros. Animation, said. “We could not ask for a better foundation as we expand the stories of the Creek into preschool and long-form projects, ensuring that ‘Craig of the Creek’ is well on its way to becoming our studio’s next big kids franchise.”

“Craig of the Creek” Season 4 Part 2 premiered on Jan. 17 on Cartoon Network. The new episodes will begin streaming on HBO Max Feb. 17.

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