Cantilever
Founded 2018 · 6 employees on LinkedIn · 2 known investors
Cantilever Media develops, finances, and produces animated films and television entertainment for family audiences. The company has produced the feature film "The Amazing Maurice" and is co-producing several additional animated features based on established book properties.
Also known as Cantilever Group Limited · Cantilever Media
Founders & leadership
Investors · 2
Also in the syndicate · 1
Funding
SEC filings, press & company announcements- Undisclosed amountpre-seed roundJun 2026 · 4 sources
!K7, Because, City Slang, Domino, Everlasting, Exceleration, Hopeless, Ninja Tune, Partisan, Playground, Secret City, Secretly Group, Sub Pop
Source ↗
Source: company announcements and press reports — follow each round's link for the claim.
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Cantilever Media is an animation company that develops, finances and produces family animated entertainment for film and television. Its first animated feature was "The Amazing Maurice", based on the book by Terry Pratchett and written by Terry Rossio, made in co-production with Germany's Ulysses Productions. The film featured a voice cast including Hugh Laurie, Emilia Clarke, David Thewlis, Himesh Patel, Gemma Arterton, Hugh Bonneville, Ariyon Bakare, Peter Serafinowicz, Joe Sugg and David Tennant, and was released theatrically worldwide, including in the United States, across 2022 and 2023.
The company works primarily through co-production arrangements with international partners. Its slate includes 'Bollywoof' with Newscope Films and Sky Cinema, 'The Amazing Maurice 2' with Ulysses Films in Germany, 'Unstable' with CarpeDiem Film & TV in Canada and BWater Studios in Spain, and 'Wed Wabbit' with Locksmith Animation. Cantilever has also announced a joint development deal with HarperCollins Publishers and Viva Pictures covering three adaptations of book properties, beginning with 'Mischief and Mayhem'. Andrew Baker serves as CEO. The company states that it does not accept unsolicited scripts or manuscripts.
Business model
Cantilever Media develops, finances and produces animated features, typically structured as co-productions with international animation studios and production companies, and in partnership with distributors and broadcasters such as Sky Cinema, as well as through development deals with rights holders including HarperCollins Publishers and Viva Pictures.
Traction
The Amazing Maurice was released theatrically worldwide in 2022/2023 and grossed over $22 million at the global box office. It won 'Best Animation' at Cartoons on the Bay 2023, won the 'Audience Choice' Award at Nantes Les Utopiales, premiered in the USA at the Sundance Film Festival in 2023, was longlisted for Best Animated Feature at the BAFTA Film Awards 2022, was longlisted for the Academy Awards in 2024, and won a British Animation Award for 'Best Vocal Performance'. Several additional animated features are in co-production.
Latest developments
Cantilever announced a joint development deal with HarperCollins Publishers and Viva Pictures for three adaptations of known book properties, starting with 'Mischief and Mayhem'. It is co-producing 'Bollywoof', 'The Amazing Maurice 2', 'Unstable' and 'Wed Wabbit'. In 2023, CEO Andrew Baker was shortlisted as CARTOON European Animation Producer of the Year.
▸Full profile — market position, go-to-market, geography
Market position
An independent developer and producer of family animated features whose first film, The Amazing Maurice, grossed over $22 million worldwide at the box office and received recognition including a BAFTA Film Awards longlisting for Best Animated Feature, an Academy Awards longlisting, and a British Animation Award.
Go-to-market
Family audiences for theatrical animated features and television, reached through distribution and broadcast partners.
Geography
Contact is via a cantilevergroup.co.uk email address; co-production partners are based in Germany, Canada and Spain, and its first feature was released theatrically worldwide including in the USA.
Compiled by commissioned research from 15 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 17
launches, deals, and filingsThe Cantilever/Architect joint venture launched worldwide sales on 'Christmas Inc.', the second family animation released through the venture.
Cantilever Media secured a £500,000 investment from Creative Growth Finance, a debt finance fund for creative-sector SMEs administered by Creative UK, to expand its distribution arm Kazoo Films. CGF offers up to £500,000 initially with the option of further finance after two years of the loan term.
Cantilever and Architect Global launched a joint venture to co-represent a sales slate of animated feature films, starting with the launch of 'Bird Brain' at EFM 2026.
Cantilever entered a three-film co-production deal with Los Angeles-based Viva Pictures Distribution and HarperCollins Productions to adapt HarperCollins IP into comedy-oriented animation features; the first title announced is 'Mischief and Mayhem'.
Kazoo Films expanded its slate of animated family movies by acquiring the rights to 'Stitch Head' from GFM Animation.
Cantilever announced a joint development deal with HarperCollins Publishers and Viva Pictures for three adaptations from known book properties, the first of which will be 'Mischief and Mayhem'.
Cantilever announced a slate partnership with ReDefine, the animation firm of UK-India VFX company DNEG; 'Bird Brain' is the first co-production under the partnership.
In 2024 The Amazing Maurice was longlisted for The Academy Awards, won a British Animation Award for 'Best Vocal Performance' and was shortlisted as 'Best Animated Feature'.
In 2024 the film was longlisted for The Academy Awards and won a British Animation Award for 'Best Vocal Performance', as well as being shortlisted as 'Best Animated Feature'.
Cantilever launched Kazoo Films, a UK and Ireland distribution arm specialising in animated features for kids and families.
Cantilever received grant support from the BFI's UK Global Screen Fund Business Development Fund for the launch of its distribution arm Kazoo Films.
Andrew Baker, CEO of Cantilever Media, was shortlisted as 'CARTOON European Animation Producer of the Year' in 2023.
The film won 'Best Animation' at Cartoons on the Bay 2023 and the 'Audience Choice' Award at Nantes Les Utopiales, and premiered in the USA at the Sundance Film Festival in 2023.
The film won 'Best Animation' at Cartoons on the Bay 2023 and the 'Audience Choice' Award at Nantes Les Utopiales, and premiered in the USA at the Sundance Film Festival in 2023.
Cantilever Media CEO Andrew Baker was shortlisted for the CARTOON European Animation Producer of the Year award in 2023.
Cantilever Media's first animated feature, The Amazing Maurice, based on the book by Terry Pratchett and co-produced with Ulysses Productions (Germany), was released theatrically worldwide including the USA across 2022/2023 and grossed over $22 million at the box office.
Cantilever's debut animated theatrical feature, based on Terry Pratchett's book and co-produced with Ulysses Productions, was released theatrically worldwide including the USA in 2022/2023, starring Hugh Laurie, Emilia Clarke, David Thewlis, Himesh Patel, Gemma Arterton, Hugh Bonneville and David Tennant.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
In the news
▸Research sources · 15
primary sources listed
- About – Cantilever Mediacantilever.media · web
- Cantilever Media unlocks £500k investment with Creative Growth Finance to strengthen distribution strategy - Creative UKwearecreative.uk · web
15 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Cantilever do?
- Cantilever Media develops, finances and produces family animated entertainment for film and television.
- Who are Cantilever's investors?
- Cantilever's investors include Creative UK.