Wattpad WEBTOON Studios and Skybound Entertainment Announce “Freaking Romance” Film Adaptation
Based on the WEBTOON webcomic sensation with over 468 million views
LOS ANGELES AND TORONTO – April 16, 2024 – Wattpad WEBTOON Studios, the fan-driven studio and IP business from WEBTOON Entertainment, and Skybound Entertainment, the creator-led, multiplatform entertainment company behind mega hit franchises Invincible, The Walking Dead, and Impact Winter, together are developing a film adaptation of WEBTOON webcomic sensation “Freaking Romance.”
Snailords’ “Freaking Romance” is a webcomic hit on WEBTOON, with over 468 million global views online. The webcomic has also been published as a graphic novel by WEBTOON Unscrolled, with Vol. 1 available now and Vol. 2 releasing in June 2024.
The film will follow Lily as she moves into the only place she can afford—a decrepit and “haunted” apartment. As she settles in, Lily notices items shifting around the apartment, leading her to discover that the “ghost” occupying the house isn’t a paranormal apparition, but actually a man from another dimension. Curiosity between these strange bedfellows slowly evolves into an unparalleled attraction proving that love can exist across cosmic boundaries.
Rising screenwriting duo and two-time Black List finalists Matthew Kic and Mike Sorce will pen the script. Aron Levitz, David Madden and Jason Goldberg will produce for Wattpad WEBTOON Studios. Robert Kirkman, David Alpert, and Rick Jacobs are producing the film from Skybound, with Fred D. Lee overseeing production.
“‘Freaking Romance’ is the type of creative, memorable and special story that a studio always hopes to produce,” said David Madden, Head of Global Entertainment for Wattpad WEBTOON Studios. “We know that Snailords and their devoted fanbase will be expecting a lot from us in this adaptation, and we’re honored to work with Skybound, one of the industry’s most-acclaimed creators of sci-fi and supernatural entertainment, to make the incredible film that this supernatural love story deserves.”
“As avid fans of vertical scrolling comics, we have been dying to get in business with Wattpad WEBTOON, and Freaking Romance has everything we love about the medium: beautiful artwork, unexpected plot twists, and of course sci-fi and the supernatural elements,” said Rick Jacobs, Managing Partner of Linear Content, Skybound Entertainment. “We’re thrilled to partner with Wattpad WEBTOON Studios and can’t wait to bring the panels to life for this film.”
"I started working with WEBTOON after entering into one of their contests while I was in college, and I could never have imagined that one day that relationship would end up with me having my very own film adaptation,” said Snailords. “Creating original stories is my passion in life, and I am grateful to my incredible audience for supporting me and being with me every step of the way. I’m excited for Wattpad WEBTOON Studios and Skybound to take my storytelling to a place it hasn’t been before – the movies!”
Wattpad WEBTOON Studios currently has more than 100 projects in development or production around the world, including unique and exciting genre fare in fantasy, sci-fi, and romance. Select upcoming projects include “HAWK” with MCU screenwriter Christopher Yost based on the popular sci-fi Wattpad webnovel; “Chasing Red'' with Stampede Ventures and writer Jessika Borsiczky (“Sex/Life,” “UnREAL”); A. Rasen’s nightmare-filled WEBTOON hit “Gremoryland'' with Roy Lee’s Vertigo Entertainment; and T.L. Bodine’s supernatural thriller “The Hound,” adapted by screenwriter Angela LaManna (Max's "Raised by Wolves", Netflix's “The Haunting of Bly Manor”). Wattpad WEBTOON Studios is also developing the animated series adaptation of Rachel Smythe’s WEBTOON sensation “Lore Olympus" with The Jim Henson Company.
Skybound Entertainment is renowned for its television series, including The Walking Dead and Invincible, both adapted from the comic book series by Skybound's own Robert Kirkman. Recently, the second season of Invincible on Prime Video concluded to critical acclaim, achieving a 100% Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Meanwhile, The Walking Dead franchise has spawned multiple successful spin-off series.
Currently in production:
VAKA, a Nordic post-pandemic thriller created by Brynja Bjork, who also serves as Head Writer. The series, with additional episodes written by Pauline Wolff and directed by Henrik Georgsson, is co-produced by Amazon MGM Studios, Unlimited Stories, Sagafilm ehf, and Skybound Entertainment. Outside the Nordic regions, Skybound holds the global distribution rights to VAKA.
Dime Tu Nombre, a Spanish language horror series about an Imam and a Catholic priest who work together to save a local boy from possession.
Heart Attack, a live-action dystopian drama about love and deprivation. Heart Attack is a coo-production with Fuji TV based on the Skybound comic of the same name by Shawn Kittelsen (Injustice 2, Mortal Kombat) and illustrator Eric Zawadzki (House of El). The series stars Kan’ichiro and Toko Miura (Drive My Car).
Recently Aired:
Skybound's first African original English-language series, Classified premiered in the Top 10 on Netflix Africa. It quickly became one of the most-watched dramas on the continent. It is slated for release on Freevee and Prime Video.