Belzebubs Animated Series to Premiere at Helsinki Festival
A family of Satanists who play black metal is coming to television in cartoon form.
The animated series Belzebubs will premiere at the Helsinki International Film Festival – Love & Anarchy, Variety reported on 17 September. The launch gives the show its first public screening before it rolls out on broadcast.
The series is based on the webcomic by Finnish artist JP Ahonen. Ahonen has described it as a relatable story about liberal values that blends The Addams Family with Modern Family and Satanism. It has also been billed as a heavy metal satire, Variety reported in June.
Ahonen serves as head writer, according to Banijay. Samppa Kukkonen directs. Lassi Vierikko is credited on the script.
Terhi Väänänen is producing for Finland's Pyjama Films, alongside Giorgio Scorza and Davide Rosio of Italy's Movimenti. Banijay Kids & Family is handling distribution, meaning it sells the series to channels and platforms around the world.
The first season is 13 episodes of 22 minutes each and is currently in production. It is already confirmed for YLE in Finland and TV3 in Catalonia. A presale, a deal signed before the show is delivered, has been secured with RUV.
Belzebubs is more than a comic. It is also a functioning band. Its first album was made in 2019 and charted in Finland.
The festival's 2026 edition runs from 17 to 27 September. Its programme listings show a Belzebubs screening on Tuesday 22 September at 20:40, with a runtime of 67 minutes, according to the festival timetable. That is roughly three television episodes back to back. Banijay Kids & Family announced the voice cast in June and shared a first clip.
Ahonen is already developing a second season.
For fans, this means a quick first look in a cinema seat before the longer run on television. The comic built the world. The band gave it a sound. Now a crew across Finland and Italy is turning it into a weekly series.
