IShowSpeed Anime Series in Development at Brian Robbins' Big Shot Pictures
The project marks Big Shot Pictures' first original production and signals a bet that a streamer's existing audience can anchor an anime-style series, a model that other studios are also exploring.
Reporting from 1 sources: The Hollywood Reporter Anime.
Big Shot Pictures, the studio founded by former Paramount co-CEO Brian Robbins, is developing an anime series based on YouTube creator and streamer IShowSpeed (Darren Jason Watkins Jr). Matt Owens, the showrunner of Netflix's One Piece live-action adaptation, will create and write the series, which will feature an animated version of Watkins. The project is described as sitting at the intersection of the creator economy, family-friendly programming, and the anime genre. Big Shot Pictures plans to take the package to market in the coming months. The studio launched last year with roughly $100 million in venture funding from investors including Sony Pictures, Greycroft, MarcyPen Capital Partners, ValueAct Capital, and CAA. Big Shot also acquired the rights to the Eloise at the Plaza children's book series at launch, with plans to reimagine and expand that franchise. IShowSpeed is known primarily for sports, sports-adjacent, and gaming content. He said in a statement that creating an anime series is a dream come true. Robbins called Watkins a one-of-a-kind creative force with a global fanbase.
Big Shot Pictures, the venture-backed studio launched last year by former Paramount co-CEO Brian Robbins, has set its first original project: an anime series based on IShowSpeed, the YouTube creator and streamer whose real name is Darren Jason Watkins Jr. Matt Owens, the showrunner of Netflix's live-action One Piece adaptation, will create and write the series. The show will star an animated version of Watkins. Big Shot plans to take the package to market in the coming months. The studio launched with roughly $100 million in funding from investors including Sony Pictures, Greycroft, MarcyPen Capital Partners, ValueAct Capital, and CAA. At launch, Big Shot also acquired the rights to the Eloise at the Plaza children's book series, with plans to reimagine and expand that franchise. IShowSpeed is known primarily for sports, sports-adjacent, and gaming content. In a statement, Watkins said creating an anime series is a dream come true. Robbins called Watkins a one-of-a-kind creative force whose ability to connect with audiences transcends borders and platforms. The project sits at the intersection of the creator economy, family-friendly programming, and the anime genre, which numerous studios are exploring.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- The Hollywood Reporter Anime IShowSpeed Anime Series in the Works at Brian Robbins’ Big Shot Pictures