“Cookies & Milk” Gets Animated On Disney

Cookies & Milk the animated series is going to be based off of the upcoming novel of the same name by Shawn Amos, a blues musician and son of Wally Amos Jr., the founder of Famous Amos cookies. The show will feature 11-year-old Ellis Johnson (semi-autobiographical) who dreams of hanging out playing his harmonica in the summer of the late 70s. Ellis will instead need to help out his father to open the world’s first chocolate chip cookie store instead of all the things he had planned. Based on the book and the show information they only have a few weeks to get the recipe right and open this shop in Hollywood, California. Cookies & Milk is going to bring a lot of family, hard work, and humor to the audience and it sounds like a fun ride.

We are really looking forward to hearing about this story and think that picking up the novel is a must. This will really do well with the story being based on the actual events that transpired.

“Cookies & Milk,” an original animated series based on the forthcoming middle grade novel of the same name by Shawn Amos, is in development at Disney Branded Television’s animation studio, Disney Television Animation. The executive producers are Laurence Fishburne and Helen Sugland of Cinema Gypsy Productions (ABC’s “black-ish” and Disney Channel’s upcoming “Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur”), Jesse Murphy and James Sears Bryant of Jesse James Films, and Shawn Amos. Brian Egeston (“The Game,” the upcoming film “On A Wing and A Prayer”) is set as co-executive producer and story editor.

The debut novel is semi-autobiographical, inspired by the childhood of Shawn Amos, a blues musician and the son of iconic Wallace “Wally” Amos Jr., founder of the Famous Amos chocolate chip cookie brand.

In making the announcement, Ayo Davis, president of Disney Branded Television, said, “It’s an absolute coup to bring Shawn Amos’ heartfelt, humorous book to Disney television screens and, with the guiding vision, credibility and track record of our Cinema Gypsy and Jesse James Films creative team, we’re looking forward to telling this authentic and relatable story about belonging, self-acceptance and forgiveness.”

Laurence Fishburne and Helen Sugland of Cinema Gypsy said, “We’re thrilled to be collaborating with Shawn Amos, Ayo Davis and the talented team at Disney Branded Television. Shawn’s semi-autobiographical novel, ‘Cookies & Milk,’ is partially based on his own experiences growing up as the son of Wally ‘Famous’ Amos. This humorous and heartwarming exploration of summer fun and friendship, seen through the eyes of a young Black boy being raised by his divorced father, is full of joy, self-discovery and a whole lot of unconditional love.”

The “Cookies & Milk” teleplay follows the summer adventures of harmonica-playing middle schooler Ellis Johnson as he begrudgingly helps his wildly optimistic and quite possibly magical father open the world’s first cookie shop in 1970s Hollywood, California.

Jesse James Films recently acquired the rights to the book, which received a six-figure advance in a two-book deal from the publisher Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. “Cookies & Milk” is set to be published in Spring 2022.

In a joint statement, Jesse Murphy and James Sears Bryant said, “We are so excited to have found the right home for this show with Disney Television Animation, Laurence and Helen. Shawn has created such a beautiful reimagining of his childhood in a narrative that we hope will universally connect with audiences on and off the page.”

Shawn Amos said, “What a dream to see this Black kid from Hollywood become a Disney character. I wrote ‘Cookies & Milk’ for my son to help him understand his family, his culture and himself. I hope kids of all colors will see something of their own selves in Ellis. I’m so grateful to Helen, Jesse and Laurence for championing my story. I know it’s in good hands with them and the deeply creative folks at Disney.”