IDW has announced that it has inked five series development deals with Ánima Studios, Cartoon Network Studios, HBO Max, Universal Content Productions (UCP), Universal International Studios and Warner Bros. Television to develop television series based on IDW Publishing and Top Shelf Productions (an imprint of IDW) graphic novels and comics. This announcement comes on the heels of IDW Publishing unveiling its first wave in its IDW Originals initiative which included a slate of nine new original projects by New York Timesbest-selling authors, some of the industry’s finest artists and writers, and newcomers. The Originals began to drop last month with the release of Scott Snyder’s Dark Spaces: Wildfire.
“The IDW and Top Shelf originals represent some of the most creative, artistic and unique stories to hit the marketplace,” said IDW Executive Vice President of Entertainment, Paul Davidson. “Not only were we excited to share this amazing slate with the industry, but we are even more thrilled to join forces with these great partners to bring them to audiences. This is just the first step in tapping our robust library of originals and adapting them into compelling series, feature films and podcasts with the industry’s leading storytellers and content creators.”
The initial five IDW Entertainment (IDWE) television projects announced will be adaptations of the following:
Dark Spaces: Wildfire (UCP), a thriller series written by Scott Snyder (celebrated writer of Batman and American Vampire) with art by Hayden Sherman (The Few, Wasted Space, Thumbs, and Old Man Logan), follows a group of female inmate firefighters deep into the smoldering California hills, where their desperate heist of a burning mansion will lead them to the score of a lifetime…or a deadly trap!
“The Delicacy” (WBTV) is a stunning graphic novel from award-winning artist and one of Scotland’s most imaginative young cartoonists, James Albon (A Shining Beacon), about rare and delicious fungi that spell trouble for an ambitious restaurateur. Tulip and his brother Rowan have left the simple comforts of their remote Scottish island with a plan: to grow succulent, organic vegetables in an idyllic market garden, and to open a restaurant serving these wholesome culinary delights to the busy sprawl of London. The world of fine dining seems impossibly competitive…until they discover a deliriously scrumptious new species of mushroom.
“Rivers” (HBO Max), created by Dan Berry and David Gaffney, is about three ordinary weirdos and one recurring dream. The acclaimed minds behind The Three Rooms in Valerie’s Head return with a whimsical and ambitious portrait of human connection in the age of digital fragmentation.
“Ballad For Sophie” (Universal International Studios), by Portuguese musician Filipe Melo and artist Juan Cavia and four-time nominee at this year’s Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, is a sweeping tale about what happens when a young journalist prompts a reclusive musical superstar to finally break his silence. Pouring out an astonishing saga of rivalry and regret, starring child prodigies, bitter old men, beautiful dancers, demonic managers, Nazi commandants, compassionate nuns and lifesaving animals, Ballad for Sophie is a stunning graphic symphony exploring a lifetime of ambition, betrayal, compassion anguish, long-buried secrets and flying pianos.
“Brutal Nature” (Ánima Studios), created by Luciano Saracino and Ariel Olivetti, Brutal Nature is about a collection of masks that transforms a young man into innumerable beasts and monsters. Using this awesome power, he embarks on a battle that pits the indigenous Mayan people against the encroaching Spanish empire. But can one man hope to beat back the massive forces of the conquering Spaniards?
“At IDW, our commitment is to continue to build upon our legacy by having our Entertainment and Publishing divisions work in tandem to bring a wide range of projects to the masses across multiple platforms,” said Ezra Rosensaft, CEO, IDW Media Holdings. “This provides an unprecedented opportunity for our creative community to expand their IP across numerous verticals. We are also thrilled to see that some of our new Originals, launched as recently as April, are already resonating within the industry.”
In addition to the five projects announced today, IDWE is also currently working with Cartoon Network Studios towards development on a soon-to-be-announced animated project. The company is also gearing up for the IDWE-produced third season of Netflix’s Locke & Key (dropping August 10th) as well as co-producing the first season of its Apple TV+ series, Surfside Girls, with Endeavor Content. The show, based on the Kim Dwinell Top Shelf graphic novel series of the same name, debuts on August 19th, 2022.
