In July 2003, Groupe Dargaud finalized the acquisition of Ellipse Animation, the animation production company of StudioExpand, a Canal+ subsidiary.

Ellipse Animation has been building up a very sound catalogue of animation titles since 1987. It has developed adaptations of characters from classic literary properties, such as the Adventures of Tintin, Babar, the mysterious adventures of Fantômette, and the Maltese Falcon, and has produced many original series, including Famille Pirates, Xcalibur, and Kong Insektors, among others.