Webtoon Entertainment announced Wednesday that it has reached a groundbreaking agreement with Warner Bros. Animation to co-produce 10 webcomic series adaptations for worldwide distribution. This partnership represents the latest strategic move by the South Korea-founded mobile storytelling platform to significantly expand its global animation production capabilities and reach new international audiences.
The collaboration will draw source material from both Webtoon's Korean-language and English-language digital platforms, leveraging the company's extensive library of popular webcomics. Development support for these ambitious projects will come from Webtoon Productions along with the company's specialized Japanese intellectual property business teams, ensuring comprehensive creative oversight throughout the adaptation process.
Four specific titles have already been confirmed for the initial phase of production. Two Korean original series will be adapted: "The Stellar Swordmaster," described as a dark fantasy story that follows an orphan's relentless pursuit of power through the mastery of swordsmanship, and "Hardcore Leveling Warrior," which centers around a top-ranked video game player who is forced to rebuild his character and reputation from scratch after losing everything. These will be joined by two popular English-language series: "Down to Earth," a romantic story exploring the relationship between a human man and an alien visitor, and "Elf & Warrior," which chronicles the adventures of a young half-elf traveling alongside a diverse band of outlaws.
"Our creators are building franchises that Gen Z audiences love," explained Yongsoo Kim, Webtoon Entertainment's chief strategy officer. Kim emphasized that the partnership with Warner Bros. Animation presents a unique opportunity to expand these beloved stories in collaboration with "one of the most respected names in animation." Sam Register, president of Warner Bros. Animation, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, highlighting how the partnership combines Warner's "world-class artistry" with Webtoon's distinctive "vibrant storytelling" approach.
While no specific release dates have been announced yet, the projects are expected to take various forms, potentially including both feature films and episodic series formats. In a creator-friendly approach, Kim confirmed that original webcomic creators will retain full ownership of their intellectual property rights and will receive revenue shares from the animated adaptations, ensuring they benefit financially from the success of their adapted works.
This major animation deal follows Webtoon's recent string of high-profile content partnerships with leading entertainment companies. In August, the platform secured a significant multiyear agreement with The Walt Disney Company to bring approximately 100 Marvel, Star Wars, and Disney titles to its mobile webcomic format. That groundbreaking Disney partnership launched with "Amazing Spider-Man," followed by "Avengers" and other major properties from Disney's extensive catalog.
Webtoon Entertainment, which successfully went public on the Nasdaq stock exchange in June 2024, currently boasts approximately 155 million monthly active users worldwide. This massive global user base positions the company as a major player in the digital content industry and provides a built-in audience for its expanding slate of animated adaptations and original content initiatives.
