Emilia Clarke Connection: Cantilever Media Secures £500,000 to Scale Kazoo Films and Drive New Animated Slate
Cantilever Media has secured a £500, 000 investment from Creative Growth Finance to expand its UK‑Ireland distribution arm, Kazoo Films. The funding is being cited as a catalyst for the company that produced The Amazing Maurice, which featured emilia clarke, to strengthen distribution for its growing slate of independent animated features for kids and families.
Emilia Clarke connection and Cantilever’s animated pedigree
Cantilever first gained wide recognition for the 2022 theatrical feature The Amazing Maurice, a production whose cast included Emilia Clarke and others. That track record is central to Kazoo Films’ positioning: the distribution arm, launched in 2024, specialises in animated family features and will now expand its capacity to handle UK and Ireland releases across Cantilever’s pipeline. The Amazing Maurice credit, including emilia clarke in the cast list, is being used to underline audience and market potential for future releases.
How the £500, 000 will be deployed and what it unlocks
The investment from Creative Growth Finance is intended to accelerate Kazoo’s growth as Cantilever’s in‑house UK‑Ireland distributor. Kazoo will support theatrical rollouts and commercial distribution for upcoming Cantilever titles and third‑party features secured under the studio’s expanding model. The financing model includes an initial debt facility at up to £500, 000 with the option of further funding after two years of the loan term, creating a near‑term boost with potential for follow‑on capital as Kazoo scales.
Pipeline highlights: Bird Brain, Unstable and franchise growth
Cantilever’s release plan through Kazoo includes several headline projects. Unstable is in production with a planned release in 2027. Bird Brain, budgeted at $15 million, is identified as a key family film on the slate and is notable for being the first animated feature sold through Cantilever’s joint‑venture sales agency with Architect Global. Bird Brain is also the studio’s first co‑production with ReDefine, the animation arm associated with DNEG, under a slate partnership.
Kazoo will also support films arising from a three‑picture co‑production deal between Cantilever, a Los Angeles distribution partner and HarperCollins Productions to adapt HarperCollins IP into comedy‑oriented animated features. Cantilever’s broader production slate includes Bollywoof, Wed Wabbit and a sequel to The Amazing Maurice, positioning the company to supply a steady flow of family animation to Kazoo’s distribution pipeline.
Strategic implications and next steps for Kazoo and Cantilever
The funding closes a gap between early grant support and commercial scale finance. Cantilever previously accessed grant support to launch Kazoo, and the new Creative Growth Finance debt facility represents scaled commercial backing intended to professionalise distribution operations and support multiple feature rollouts. For Kazoo, the immediate priorities will be building distribution capacity, coordinating UK‑Ireland release plans for titles like Bird Brain and Unstable, and integrating sales activity with the joint‑venture arrangements already in place.
Operationally, the investment should enable Kazoo to expand staff, marketing and release logistics for theatrical windows in the UK and Ireland. The presence of higher‑profile credits such as The Amazing Maurice — featuring Emilia Clarke in its cast — and partnerships on co‑productions and sales are likely to shape how Kazoo prioritises title launches and international packaging alongside Cantilever’s creative partners.
Outlook and caveats
The funding marks a measurable step in Cantilever’s strategy to create an integrated production, sales and distribution engine for independent feature animation. Details about exact release dates, marketing plans and the potential for additional financing beyond the initial facility remain to be finalised. Recent updates indicate these elements will be developed as Kazoo scales, and schedule details are subject to change as production timelines and co‑production agreements progress.
