This fall will see the first live-action addition to the Cocomelon universe, as YouTube’s most-watched kids channel (its flagship channel has garnered more than 186 billion cumulative views) will bring its teacher, Mrs. Appleberry, to the screen with a spinoff called “Melon Patch Classroom.”
Details about Melon Patch Classroom are limited at this time, but the series will center around a character featured in one of Cocomelon’s billion-viewed sing-along videos: She’s a kindergarten teacher whose students include JJ, the animated character who has become the de facto face of the Cocomelon brand.
Melon Patch Classroom offers the same blend of music, comedy and edutainment that has propelled CoComelon to unprecedented viewership. Owned by media company Moonbug (a subsidiary of Candle Media), the brand frequently ranks as the most-watched YouTube channel each week. Additionally, Netflix data for the first half of 2023 identified CoComelon as the streamer’s 58th most-watched offering for the same period.
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Moonbug is looking to take Cocomelon beyond cartoon territory as she ventures into the Melon Patch classroom, where Ms. Appleberry will welcome special guests into her space and give kids the chance to meet real-life versions of characters who have already appeared on the franchise’s national tour.
Moonbug already knows how to turn live-action kids’ properties into multiplatform franchises, which is exactly what it did with popular YouTube channel Blippi, which spawned several character-driven spinoffs. Expanding the Moonbug IP is integral to the company’s retail plans, and CoComelon is naturally a big part of that push.
Melon Patch Classroom is set to premiere in the fall. More details about the series, including a full trailer, exact premiere date, and cast, will be released soon.