Move over, novels: webcomics are here as the hottest new fodder for Hollywood adaptations.
Wattpad Webtoon Studios president Aron Levitz, Webtoon Originals creator Snailords, Skybound’s president of TV Glenn Geller, The Jim Henson Company’s president of TV Halle Stanford and pop culture journalist Kayti Burt shared their expertise on the subject during a panel at San Diego Comic-Con, moderated by Variety.
“We have 55 million stories at our disposal as a studio,” Levitz said, citing inventive storytelling and a passionate fanbase as the strongest foundation for a successful adaptation. “We know what people read. We know why they like it, because you comment!” Wattpad Webtoon Studios has a menagerie of projects in the works, including a Diablo Cody-produced film “Death of a Pop Star” and an animated series “Apocalyptic Horseplay.”
Burt, who has reported extensively on the global rise of Korean content, talked about why betting on webcomics is a smart bet. “A lot of K-dramas are adapted from Webtoons,” she said. “Dramas that emerge from already established stories, which have passed through the critical eye of the audience, often produce very impressive results. In this age of storytelling, where there is a push to get as much out as possible as quickly as possible, many stories coming from Webtoons and pre-existing IP can really have an edge.
While his “Freaking Romance” series is wrapping up and getting the movie treatment from Skybound, Snailords (aka Aidyn Arroyal) is currently updating his webcomic “Death: Rescheduled” on a weekly basis. “The series must be updated every Friday and on Monday I draw a new page. It goes up on Friday and people read it live, so I get automatic feedback,” he said. “I can see what the audience is interested in, learn what they like and what they don’t like, and then incorporate that into the next pages, rather than having to read an entire book back then.”
Geller added that maintaining fan trust when translating a webcomic into a film is crucial. “For us at Skybound, it’s about connecting the creator with their fanbase and making sure that relationship is real and honest, based on trust, because you want to be able to say to your fans, ‘If you love this, then’ we’re going to to love this.’” I think that’s why fan involvement is so important.”
Stanford, who is currently working on the highly anticipated adaptation of Rachel Smythe’s ‘Lore Olympus’ at the Jim Henson Company, was excited about working with the creator to bring her vision to life. ‘She’s incredible. She was there every creative milestone step. She helps us build Easter eggs, helps us layer the characters, tells us what kind of flowers appear in Persephone’s hair when she feels something.
Ultimately, Levitz sees the webcomic revolution taking over Hollywood sooner or later. “It’s fandom built into brilliant storytelling. It’s easy.”