From School Sketches to Apple TV
What started as simple sketches in a school notebook has evolved into the first animated series from Northern Ireland to be featured on Apple TV.
My Brother the Minotaur, created by Dog Ears in collaboration with Cartoon Saloon, premiered in April and has already received critical acclaim.
The fantasy adventure series centers on a young minotaur—half boy, half bull—who is discovered and raised in the human world.
Alongside his fiercely loyal human brother and a group of friends, he embarks on a journey to uncover the mystery of his origins while confronting dark forces determined to stop him.
Development and Production
John McDaid, founder of Dog Ears, described the series, which took years to develop, as
"a thrilling mix of folklore, mystery and adventure about a young minotaur – half boy, half bull – found and raised in the human world".
He added that receiving the "green light" from Apple elevated My Brother the Minotaur after many years of development, collaboration, perseverance, and passion.
At its production peak, approximately 180 people were involved in bringing the series to life.
The show features a notable voice cast including Brian Cox and Michael Sheen, alongside several emerging talents.
Creative Origins and Collaborations
Show creator Donal Mangan first partnered with Dog Ears in 2014 on the successful Puffin Rock, which aired on Netflix and the BBC.
The concept for My Brother the Minotaur was initially pitched through Northern Ireland Screen's Creative Animation programme before Dog Ears teamed up with Cartoon Saloon to develop the series.
Mangan, originally from Dublin and now based in France, explained that the story explores themes relatable to many children.
He stated,
"It's about feeling different and trying to fit in and finding your place in the world and using a minotaur as a catalyst for that was an interesting angle".
"At the core of it, it still comes back to the relationship between the two brothers and the community that surrounds them."
Drawing inspiration from Greek mythology and Irish folklore, the team aimed to create a story that felt both familiar and unique.
Mangan elaborated,
"We were definitely inspired by that mythology and some of the imagery like a labyrinth."
"We treated it like a race of creatures from another world.
We took little bits of influence from the Greek mythology as well as Irish mythology and made it a version of its own thing rather than a straight influence from Greek mythology."
Apple TV Acquisition and Industry Impact
Mangan described Apple’s decision to acquire the show as
"a massive achievement and super exciting".
He noted the unpredictability of the industry, saying,
"With the way the industry is at the moment you never know if anything is guaranteed.
You know something could be cancelled mid-production so we always got a little tentative about it but hunkered down and made the show and having it finally being released was just hugely exciting and a relief as well."
McDaid shared that the story originated from asking staff if they had any "cool ideas," with Mangan presenting a concept he had been developing since school on his sketch pad.
"I think that's the part of the story of the show that I absolutely love,"McDaid said.
"This fairytale trajectory of his idea from a sketchbook right through development with us onto Apple TV with a stellar cast and global broadcast."
He also expressed gratitude to Northern Ireland Screen for their support, stating,
"It really gave us the wind behind our sails and we're really grateful for that."
Opportunities for Staff and Recognition
The series has also created new opportunities for Dog Ears employees such as Carrie Bonner, who began as a production assistant and advanced to production coordinator during the project.
"I'm so proud of it. It's gorgeous and even reading reviews online people seem to love it and resonate with it so that's perfect."
Dog Ears has been shortlisted for a prestigious awards ceremony in Annecy, France, scheduled for next weekend.
McDaid described the event as the animation industry's equivalent of the Oscars, calling it
"a real feather in our cap."
