The infallible plan that boosted Maurício de Sousa’s billionaire empire

In 1959, Mauricio de Sousa was a rising cartoonist aged just 23 when he founded his first office, Bidulândia. Named after the dog Bidu, who launched him in printed strips, the company today named MSP Estúdios (Mauricio de Sousa Produções) is a symbol of the realization of the childhood dreams of the designer and creator of the beloved Turma da Mônica. The trajectory of ups and downs so far is portrayed in Mauricio de Sousa: the Film (Brazil, 2025), showing in cinemas, a film directed by Pedro Vasconcelos that features Mauro Sousa, one of the comic artist’s sons, in the lead role. “It’s a huge responsibility to bring to life a pop icon, a Brazilian cultural heritage — and who is, above all, my father”, says the 38-year-old debutant actor who recently took over the company’s board of directors alongside his sister Marina and nephew Marcos Saraiva.

Released on the eve of the designer’s 90th birthday, which celebrates the date on Monday the 27th, the film is the most recent example of the company’s massive investment in audiovisual: between 2018 and 2024, the studio injected 200 million reais into projects in the sector, resulting in more than twenty productions that have already come to fruition or are in the oven. In addition to cartoons that do very well on platforms like YouTube, Sousa’s legacy has dug a trench in the scarce area of ​​national production aimed at young audiences, both in cinema and streaming. From this look came, for example, the graceful Chico Bento and the Wonderful Goiabeira (2024) — which has a sequel planned.

With the solid foundation established in comics over decades, the company’s multiplatform strategy proves to be a smart look at the future of Mônica and her gang. With the advantage of nostalgia on one hand and a strong presence on various platforms on the other, the characters maintain the affection of past fans while captivating new ones. Soon, new animations with the company’s DNA will also arrive at the cinema — the first will star the dinosaur Horácio. “Audiovisual is a very important pillar. We want to continue to be present in this medium, because it guides the studio’s other entertainment platforms”, says Mauro.

A family business since its inception, MSP Estúdios grew meteorically under the management of Mauricio de Sousa: today, the group has more than 400 characters who illustrate films, comic books, games, theme parks and licensing that make up the empire that moves 2 billion reais a year. As the patriarch advanced in age, his heirs took on more active roles in the business. The father closely follows the transition of power. “It’s great that this happens with him around, to ensure the continuation of his life’s work,” says Mauro. When Mauricio saw the film for the first time, the director says that the artist was moved, especially by the childhood scenes: “He was fascinated”. With the biographer’s approval, the film crowns an artistic legacy that continues to experience new developments. As Cebolinha would say: here is an infallible plan.

Published in VEJA on October 24, 2025, issue no. 2967