Craig of the Creek Renewed for Season 5 with Jessica’s Big Little World Spinoff, New Original Movie at HBO Max (2024)

If you’ve got little ones in your life, you’ve probably spent plenty of time watching Cartoon Network’s Craig of the Creek. Well get ready for more, as the franchise is expanding.

Cartoon Network renewed the animated series for Season 5, while HBO Max has ordered an original movie titled Craig of the Creek: The Movie and the new Cartoonito spinoff 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,” said Sam Register, President, Cartoon Network Studios and Warner Bros. Animation. “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.”

Set for early next year, Season 5 finds Craig continuing on his imaginative adventures at the creek with best friends Kelsey and J.P.

“Since its debut, Craig of the Creek has been an instant audience favorite, capturing the joy of being a kid along with the humor and heart of family life,” said Amy Friedman, Head of Kids & Family Programming, Warner Bros. “We are so thrilled with how Cartoon Network Studios has opened up Craig’s world and that his hilarious little sister Jessica, a breakout character, will now have her own show!”

Look, all kids shows aren’t created equal. Some are fun to watch with the whole family, think Muppet Babies or Sesame Street. Some you can tolerate while it’s on in the background. We’re looking at you Paw Patrol. And some, you leave the room and let the kids watch alone, because you can’t handle one more second. Sorry, Peppa Pig, we can’t do this anymore.

However, Craig of the Creek is firmly in the fun category, as it uses imagination to encourage creative thinking and the importance of friendship.

For fans who’ve always wondered how Craig got his start exploring the creek, a new movie has all the answers.

Craig of the Creek: The Movie is an origin story where “Craig Williams is the shy, new kid in town, longing for his old home and life. 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!”

There’s also good news for the show’s youngest viewers, Craig’s little sister Jessica is getting her own series at Cartoonito.

Premiering in 2023, Jessica’s Big Little World “centers on the Creek’s favorite resilient little sister, Jessica, as she navigates her way through a world where everything seems much bigger than she is. 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.”

Aimed at preschool aged kids, the series looks to help young children with seemingly impossible challenges, and “will weave themes of communication, imaginative play, perseverance, and embracing age-appropriate strategies for overcoming obstacles throughout.”

As we always say, representation matters. Nowhere is that more important than in children’s programming. If kids can see themselves in media right from the start, they feel more empowered in the world around them.

Is your family excited to see Craig of the Creek expanding its universe?