Premium films from a new generation of online filmmakers will sit alongside mainstream films and series on TV streaming services, starting with Wonder's anthology series Beyond the Loop

NEW YORK & LONDON: Wonder Studios, the entertainment company building new pathways for filmmakers in the AI era, today announced an agreement with Foundation Distribution, a distribution agent that negotiates placement across connected-TV platforms, to bring work from exceptional indie filmmakers who have built their audiences online to TV screens. It is a first-of-its-kind deal that will see AI-native content from emerging filmmakers streamed globally across major TV streaming services via platforms such as Roku, Samsung TV, Amazon and others, with work from filmmakers beyond AI to follow.

First up is the second season of Beyond the Loop, Wonder's flagship anthology, which backs filmmakers to make original short films, with a stake in what they create and a route to features and series. Already released on YouTube and Wonder TV, the season is now heading to TV streaming services. Its filmmakers include Grammy-nominated artist Jidenna, making his directorial debut; Kavan the Kid, whose AI short films have drawn more than 100 million views; and BAFTA-winning editor Hal Watmough, who has since joined Wonder as Head of Post.

Beyond the Loop has drawn 14.8M combined views across all platforms to date, with coverage in outlets including Deadline, Sky News and Forbes, and Season 2 was executive produced by CapCut, ElevenLabs, OpenArt and invideo.

The deal is designed to give individual films and projects a premium space on television. Rather than being added to an always-on themed channel – the high-volume model common on free streaming services – each Beyond the Loop film and future indie films selected by Wonder will appear as a title in its own right. For audiences, that means discovering emerging filmmakers the same way they browse for any traditional film or series. For filmmakers, it means reaching viewers well beyond social and digital platforms, with their work given the same space on television as a traditional film.

Sarah Craig, President at Foundation Distribution said: “We’ve seen firsthand over the years that bringing online creator content to connected TV doesn't dilute existing audiences – it amplifies them by meeting viewers wherever they watch. When used thoughtfully to complement traditional storytelling, AI tools open up immense creative possibilities – allowing indie filmmakers to produce elevated, cost-effective work that belongs across every major streaming platform alongside traditional film.”

Xavier Collins, CEO and co-founder Wonder Studios said: "This deal with Foundation marks a watershed moment for Wonder, what started as a mission to help filmmakers becoming founders has now materialised into a position where emerging talent is having their content broadcast into millions of homes worldwide. We’re excited to catalyse this opportunity with our flagship anthology beyond the loop in addition to surfacing other great films and filmmakers from our community."

After Beyond the Loop S2, Wonder will bring further work under the deal from filmmakers within its community and beyond who have built substantial followings online. The focus will be on longer-form films and series, providing a platform for filmmakers to get their content seen by audiences worldwide on major streaming platforms. Alongside distributing existing work, Wonder plans to commission new originals.

AI remains an important creative tool for many of the filmmakers Wonder works with, but the studio's slate increasingly spans live-action and hybrid production.

Justin Hackney, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of Wonder Studios concluded: “Substance over algorithm has been our north star from day one. Online, a great film can vanish in a single scroll. In the living room, it gets to be what it always was: a film, chosen and watched from beginning to end. That's the respect true storytellers earn, and it's what this deal gives them."

About Wonder Studios

Wonder Studios is an entertainment company building new pathways for filmmakers in the AI era. Founded by filmmaker and creative technologist Justin Hackney and marketplace entrepreneur Xavier Collins, Wonder works across original IP, commercial productions and filmmaker development.

Wonder brings together a studio, talent marketplace and global community of filmmakers and creative technologists, pairing creatives and engineers from the start of each project to support ambitious storytelling and new production models. Its ownership framework is designed to give filmmakers a clearer pathway from short film to feature or series, with shared ownership in the stories they create.

The company has raised more than $15 million from investors including Atomico, LocalGlobe, Blackbird and Adobe Ventures.

For more information, visit www.wonderstudios.com.

Fonte: Business Wire