Magnús Scheving has bought back the full rights to the LazyTown franchise he created nearly two decades ago.
The Icelandic entertainer, 59, who became a global children’s television icon as the acrobatic Sportacus, reclaimed the intellectual property in May 2024 according to updates posted in the official LazyTown Fans Forum. Whether the colorful series will actually return remains undetermined.
Scheving’s career has taken several unexpected turns since he last donned the blue superhero jumpsuit. He now co-owns ROK, a high-end Scandinavian restaurant in downtown Reykjavík, managing the upscale establishment with his wife, Hrefna Björk Sverrisdóttir. The venture keeps him rooted in Iceland’s local economy, far removed from the CGI soundstages and four-hour makeup sessions that consumed his earlier professional life.
The restaurant business represents only the latest pivot for a man whose résumé already spanned multiple industries before he ever created LazyTown. In an interview with License Global magazine, Scheving revealed that he originally trained as an architect and worked extensively as a professional carpenter. His path toward entertainment began with a friendly bet in the 1990s, when a companion challenged him to master a sport he had never attempted.
That wager propelled him into competitive aerobics, where he rose rapidly through the ranks. Scheving became a two-time European Aerobic Gymnastics Champion, capturing titles in 1994 and 1995.
The success of LazyTown, which reportedly cost roughly $1 million per episode to produce, eventually broadcast to audiences across more than 128 countries. The show made Scheving one of Iceland’s most celebrated public figures and established Sportacus as a household name for millions of young viewers worldwide.
Following the series’ massive global run, Scheving made a deliberate choice to step back from the physically grueling demands of playing the main character. He sold the parent company behind the franchise to Turner Broadcasting System Europe and redirected his energy toward private business ventures and public speaking engagements rather than pursuing additional Hollywood acting roles.
Through it all, the entrepreneur has maintained what those close to his work describe as a sustained focus on health, wellness, and community involvement in his home country.
The May 2024 rights acquisition surprised longtime followers of the property, suggesting Scheving may not be finished with the brand that defined his international reputation. No concrete revival plans have surfaced in the months since the purchase became public.
Scheving’s trajectory from champion gymnast to children’s television creator to restaurateur underscores a pattern of reinvention that predates his fame. The carpenter-turned-architect-turned-athlete-turned-television-producer has repeatedly rebuilt his professional identity rather than remaining fixed in any single role.
His restaurant ROK continues operations in Iceland’s capital while questions linger about whether LazyTown itself might eventually follow him into this new chapter of ownership.