Pippi Longstocking is set to return in a new international animated series, as producers prepare a modern 3D version of Astrid Lindgren’s Swedish children’s classic for a global audience more than 80 years after the character first appeared in print.
The project is expected to enter production in October and will consist of 52 episodes of 11 minutes each, according to Variety, cited by Nordic public broadcasters. The series will be produced as a computer-animated 3D reboot, with the same group also planning a feature film based on the character.
A new Pippi Longstocking series for a global market
The television adaptation brings together several European production companies. The project is being developed by France’s StudioCanal, Britain’s Heyday Films, the Dutch studio Submarine and Sweden’s The Astrid Lindgren Company, which manages the rights to Lindgren’s works.
The format points to an international children’s television strategy built around short episodes, familiar characters and a visual language designed for streaming and global distribution. A 52-part structure also gives broadcasters and platforms a large catalogue from the start, while keeping each episode short enough for younger viewers.
Max Hallén, chief executive of The Astrid Lindgren Company, said Lindgren’s stories continue to broaden their audience worldwide and reach new generations of children “across markets, platforms and formats”. The statement reflects the company’s wider effort to keep Lindgren’s catalogue active beyond traditional publishing.
Why Astrid Lindgren’s Swedish classic still travels
Created by Swedish author Astrid Lindgren, Pippi Longstocking (Pippi Långstrump) first appeared in book form in 1945 and has since become one of the most recognisable figures in Nordic children’s literature. The character is known for her red hair, mismatched stockings, independence, humour and extraordinary strength.
The official Astrid Lindgren website describes Pippi as a symbol of freedom, strength, kindness, courage and justice. The character has also remained unusually adaptable: she has appeared in books, television, films, theatre, merchandise and digital formats, while retaining a clear association with Swedish literary culture.
The new animated series arrives after Pippi’s 80th anniversary in 2025. According to The Astrid Lindgren Company, stories about Pippi have been translated into 80 languages, while the books had sold more than 70 million copies by 2024. Nordic broadcaster Yle reported a higher global sales figure, above 90 million copies, underlining how widely the character’s commercial and cultural reach is understood.
A modern reboot with a Nordic cultural legacy
The producers describe the new adaptation as a modern version of Pippi, but the challenge will be to update the character without weakening the traits that made her distinctive. Pippi’s appeal has long rested on a combination of child autonomy, anti-authoritarian humour and moral clarity: she resists arbitrary adult authority, but she also protects others and refuses cruelty.
That balance matters because Pippi is not only an entertainment property. She is part of the Nordic cultural export tradition, alongside other literary and audiovisual works that have helped shape the region’s international image. For Sweden in particular, Lindgren’s characters remain connected to ideas of childhood, equality, imagination and everyday freedom.
At the same time, the 3D format signals a shift in how Nordic children’s classics are being repackaged. Instead of relying mainly on nostalgia, rights holders and producers are seeking to make older characters visible on the platforms where children now watch animated content. The planned feature film suggests that Pippi may become a broader screen franchise, not just a single television revival.
The feature film remains behind the animated series
The same production team is also developing a film based on Pippi Longstocking, but the animated series is expected to move first. That sequencing gives producers a way to reintroduce the character to children before expanding the property into a longer cinematic format.
For Nordic culture, the project is another example of how children’s literature can be renewed for international audiences without losing its local origin. If the adaptation succeeds, Pippi Longstocking could again become one of Sweden’s most visible fictional exports, this time through a format designed for a fragmented and multilingual media market.
