Los Angeles, CA – March 4th, 2025 - Less than 2 years after unveiling the inaugural slate for their Calgary based animation studio Missing Socks Entertainment, Titan1Studios is excited to announce they have boarded the beloved animated series THE MATUMBILAS as Executive Producers with an eye toward growing the brand in North America.
Created by stand-up comedian Zul Manzi, the semi-autobiographical family comedy follows a quirky Tanzanian family and the growing pains they experience while acclimating to their new home of Hopeland, Massachusetts. The series humorously explores the trials and tribulations that arise when parents, Hashim and Zainat, try to uphold their Tanzanian traditions while their first-generation American children, Amina, Rajab, and Zulfiqar, construct their own identities in a new culture. Known for its blend of witty storytelling and vibrant animation to explore universal themes of identity, family, and cultural preservation in the modern world, the show has developed a devout fan base since its launch in 2020.
To date, the series has attracted nearly 2 million streams on KweliTV, making it the platform’s most watched offering. With Titan1Studios on board, Manzi is hoping to keep the positive momentum from season two rolling and expose new viewers to his unique brand of comedy. “I’m beyond thrilled with the response from viewers thus far,” said Manzi, “The success we've seen has laid a strong foundation, and with this new partnership, we’re excited to bring the show to an entirely new audience.”
Added Titan1Studios VP Content, Wes Ambrecht, “Much like the characters and world he’s created with The Matumbilas, Zul has an infectious energy and memorable comedic flair. After binging season one, I knew Titan1Studios needed to be involved with the show going forward. There’s a wide audience in North America yet to discover the series and we intend to show them what they’ve been missing out on.”
Ambrecht and Titan1Studios CEO, Rathan Moorthy, will Executive Produce alongside Manzi, Brice Productions’ Jerry Brice, and former Toonz Media TV President Bruno Zarka, who discovered the series and brought it to Titan1.
Brice, a creative force with over 40 years in the animation world, has worked with top studios, including Disney Feature Animation and Bento Box Studio. He is driven by a commitment to inclusivity and creative excellence in animation production and, most recently, served as a Supervising Producer for PBS Kids’ Weather Hunters, which will debut later this summer. Zarka, meanwhile, is widely recognized as a pioneer in the field of Kids, Teens, and Family Digital Media strategy and global media distribution. Last year, he joined the advisory board for God’s Gang LTD. In THE MATUMBILAS, he sees a show with genuine multi-generational appeal.
“This is a program bound to resonate with teens and their parents,” said Zarka, “Like many of the best primetime animated sitcoms, it has an entry point for everyone but a voice that is wholly original. I’m very excited to work with Titan1Studios and the team to help find a new home for this future classic.”
Titan1Studios will next look to set the first two seasons of THE MATUMBILAS, comprised of 17 total episodes, at a US network before turning back to Canada. At the same time, they have already begun working with Manzi and Brice to develop a third season of the series.
ABOUT TITAN1STUDIOS
Founded in 2016, TITAN1STUDIOS is an award-winning Cross-Media Content & Technology Studio specializing in Original IP. The studio embraces underrepresented creatives across all facets of the creative process, which is reflected in our executives, artists and technology talent.
While our stories span the far reaches of time and space, our themes often hit much closer to home with a key emphasis on family, identity, mental health, and building a better tomorrow.
In Television, Titan1Studios boasts a diverse development slate, spanning genres from drama and comedy to adult animation and kids & family programming. This includes an all-ages animated adaptation of the ZOMBEN comic series, produced in partnership with RIDEBACK Entertainment (known for "The Last Airbender" on Netflix and the "Lego Movie" franchise at Warner Brothers).
In Video Games, the studio has a rich slate of projects. EVENTS AT UNITY FARM, a fresh take on narrative rich open-world virtual reality, with magic combat, puzzle solving, and exploration, is now available on STEAM. Production is underway on LOVE IS A ROGUELITE (or LIAR for short), a tactical turn-based deckbuilding game set within a procedurally generated love story, slated for an early access release on Valentine’s Day in 2026. A video game based on their Welcome Animated series titled WELCOME: A COZY ESTUARY is currently in production.
Learn more at TITAN1STUDIOS.COM
For inquiries, please contact:
Wes Ambrecht
wes@titan1studios.com
www.thematumbilas.tv