Movie adaptations of comic books are all the rage in Hollywood right now which could explain why Sony Pictures has partnered with Wizard World, one of the country’s largest producers of fan conventions,
“to find the next generation of movies as well as to engage in a number of strategic initiatives.”
Under the deal, Sony Pictures and Wizard World “will jointly discover top talent, optioning their work to incubate and develop these stories into various media.” Wizard World often attracts many of the country’s top artists and story creators as a showcase for their work, which should provide the companies with plenty of original IPs to incubate.
Sony Pictures Executive VP of Production Jonathan Kadin will be involved in developing new projects, while Sony Pictures Consumer Marketing Executive VP of Brand Strategy and Global Partnerships Jeffery Godsick will oversee the relationship for the studio. The venture was organized with the help of Wizard World board member Jordan Schur.
“We are always looking for new ways to find that next generation of great IP,” said Jonathan Kadin. “This deal gives us unique access to the incredible talent that Wizard World can bring to the table, putting us in a prime position to find the stories that break through the clutter.”
Jeffery Godsick added: “As Wizard World continues to grow its brand across the globe, we see IP development as only the first step in the relationship. We will work with Wizard World to develop opportunities across several areas, including licensing, retail and location based entertainment. There are tremendously talented artists and storytellers presenting their properties at the conventions, and this relationship with Wizard World will afford us direct and early access to what might turn out to the next great idea for a film.”
Wizard World CEO John D. Maatta also added: “Sony Pictures Entertainment is uniquely aligned as a studio with dominance in the motion picture, television, and electronics spaces. As Wizard World expands into a full spectrum media company from our roots in live exhibition, the partnership with Sony Pictures allows for an exceptional array of new opportunities and initiatives across many business extensions. It also creates a new and powerful voice in the pop culture.”