When Wattpad Webtoon Studios was preparing to release the drama “Float” this year, author Kate Marchant asked for a little help from her fans. The Lionsgate film was based on her story, and now she presented three movie posters to her followers, asking them to pick their favorite.
“I can feel your readers shifting in their seats,” Aron Levitz, president of Wattpad Webtoon Studios, says with a laugh. “All those creative execs are going, ‘Wait a minute, people knew about it before it went out? Are you sure that’s Ok?’”
For Levitz, the answer is a resounding yes. His company is shaking up the traditional approach to creating film and TV adaptations by putting the power in the hands of fans.
Just last month, the third movie in the “Through My Window” series, adapted from Wattpad author Ariana Godoy’s webnovels, dominated the Netflix film charts, amassing 14 million views...
“I can feel your readers shifting in their seats,” Aron Levitz, president of Wattpad Webtoon Studios, says with a laugh. “All those creative execs are going, ‘Wait a minute, people knew about it before it went out? Are you sure that’s Ok?’”
For Levitz, the answer is a resounding yes. His company is shaking up the traditional approach to creating film and TV adaptations by putting the power in the hands of fans.
Just last month, the third movie in the “Through My Window” series, adapted from Wattpad author Ariana Godoy’s webnovels, dominated the Netflix film charts, amassing 14 million views...
- 4/18/2024
- by Katcy Stephan
- Variety Film + TV
"Can we just stay in the moment?" Lionsgate has unveiled a trailer for a romantic drama titled Float, made in Canada by filmmaker Sherren Lee. This cheesy love story is based on the book of the same name written by Kate Marchant. It's one of these "everything changed when I met this one guy" stories we've seen so many times over and over. A city girl with a life in Toronto, originally from Taiwan, rejected by her parents, makes an impulsive decision to spend the summer at a small town with her estranged aunt. She nearly drowns and is rescued by the lifeguard next door, who offers to teach her how to swim. Of course they fall in love, but will things work out? Float stars Andrea Bang as Waverly, Robbie Amell as lifeguard Blake, Michelle Krusiec, Andrew Bachelor, Rukiya Bernard, and Sarah Desjardins. This looks sweet and sappy and...
- 1/9/2024
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Exclusive: Wattpad Webtoon Studios has made a number of hires including a global head of television and launched an animation division.
It comes after the company, which was formed by a merger of social storytelling platform Wattpad and digital comic platform Webtoon, hired David Madden as head of global entertainment.
Sera Tabb has joined as Head of Global Television. Tabb was previously SVP, Development at Picture Perfect Federation and has worked on projets such as Oscar-winner Coda. She has also previously worked at Global Road, Skydance Media, Sony Pictures Television and UTA.
She will oversee all aspects of development across the studio’s growing slate of series adaptations from Webtoon’s global IP catalog and Wattpad webnovels.
Separately, the company has launched a new animation division with Taylor Grant set as Head of Global Animation. Grant, who was previously head of Webtoon Studios, will oversee IP development on all animated film and television projects,...
It comes after the company, which was formed by a merger of social storytelling platform Wattpad and digital comic platform Webtoon, hired David Madden as head of global entertainment.
Sera Tabb has joined as Head of Global Television. Tabb was previously SVP, Development at Picture Perfect Federation and has worked on projets such as Oscar-winner Coda. She has also previously worked at Global Road, Skydance Media, Sony Pictures Television and UTA.
She will oversee all aspects of development across the studio’s growing slate of series adaptations from Webtoon’s global IP catalog and Wattpad webnovels.
Separately, the company has launched a new animation division with Taylor Grant set as Head of Global Animation. Grant, who was previously head of Webtoon Studios, will oversee IP development on all animated film and television projects,...
- 8/16/2022
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
ViacomCBS International Studios and Wattpad Webtoon Studios revealed a global partnership to source emerging content and creative talent from around the world to develop a slate of original series based on hit Wattpad and Webtoon stories.
Wattpad Webtoon Studios and ViacomCBS International Studios’ production arm, Vis, will coproduce content for ViacomCBS’ networks and platforms, including its premium streaming service Paramount Plus.
In June, Wattpad, a top user-contributed fiction app, combined its TV, film and books division with the studio operations of digital comics platform Webtoon. Previously, South Korea-based Naver, Webtoon’s owner, acquired Wattpad for $600 million. Naver had said it would fund the newly merged Wattpad Webtoon Studios with a commitment of $100 million for development and production financing, aiming to produce a broad new slate of fan-driven entertainment on a global basis.
Ari Tan, VP, head of strategy, ViacomCBS International Studios said: “ViacomCBS International Studios is committed to telling authentic,...
Wattpad Webtoon Studios and ViacomCBS International Studios’ production arm, Vis, will coproduce content for ViacomCBS’ networks and platforms, including its premium streaming service Paramount Plus.
In June, Wattpad, a top user-contributed fiction app, combined its TV, film and books division with the studio operations of digital comics platform Webtoon. Previously, South Korea-based Naver, Webtoon’s owner, acquired Wattpad for $600 million. Naver had said it would fund the newly merged Wattpad Webtoon Studios with a commitment of $100 million for development and production financing, aiming to produce a broad new slate of fan-driven entertainment on a global basis.
Ari Tan, VP, head of strategy, ViacomCBS International Studios said: “ViacomCBS International Studios is committed to telling authentic,...
- 12/8/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Lionsgate has joined Robbie Amell’s Float, the adaptation of Kate Marchant’s hit Wattpad story that also has found its director and leading lady.
The beach romance, which began shooting in Vancouver last week, stars Kim’s Convenience star Andrea Bang as Waverly, who impulsively decides to spend her summer before college in a beach town, where she finds herself falling for local lifeguard Blake (Amell). Soon, Waverly has to decide between her pre-planned future of becoming a doctor and following her heart.
Sherren Lee, making her feature directorial debut, will helm the project. Lee, who also co-wrote the screenplay for Float with ...
The beach romance, which began shooting in Vancouver last week, stars Kim’s Convenience star Andrea Bang as Waverly, who impulsively decides to spend her summer before college in a beach town, where she finds herself falling for local lifeguard Blake (Amell). Soon, Waverly has to decide between her pre-planned future of becoming a doctor and following her heart.
Sherren Lee, making her feature directorial debut, will helm the project. Lee, who also co-wrote the screenplay for Float with ...
- 10/1/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Lionsgate has joined Robbie Amell’s Float, the adaptation of Kate Marchant’s hit Wattpad story that also has found its director and leading lady.
The beach romance, which began shooting in Vancouver last week, stars Kim’s Convenience star Andrea Bang as Waverly, who impulsively decides to spend her summer before college in a beach town, where she finds herself falling for local lifeguard Blake (Amell). Soon, Waverly has to decide between her pre-planned future of becoming a doctor and following her heart.
Sherren Lee, making her feature directorial debut, will helm the project. Lee, who also co-wrote the screenplay for Float with ...
The beach romance, which began shooting in Vancouver last week, stars Kim’s Convenience star Andrea Bang as Waverly, who impulsively decides to spend her summer before college in a beach town, where she finds herself falling for local lifeguard Blake (Amell). Soon, Waverly has to decide between her pre-planned future of becoming a doctor and following her heart.
Sherren Lee, making her feature directorial debut, will helm the project. Lee, who also co-wrote the screenplay for Float with ...
- 10/1/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Wattpad has been acquired by the Naver, the South Korean Internet Conglomerate which is also home to the digital comics platform Webtoon.
The Board of Directors of Wattpad announced today that it unanimously approved a definitive agreement to be acquired by Naver. Naver is expected to acquire the storytelling platform in a cash and stock transaction valued at more than an estimated Usd $600 million, subject to customary adjustments and other terms.
The acquisition will allow Wattpad to continue to accelerate its international growth and success. Wattpad will remain headquartered in Canada under the continued leadership of founders Allen Lau and Ivan Yuen.
Naver is known for its robust portfolio of search, e-commerce, communications, social networking and its many other content entertainment services and brands including the aforementioned Webtoon as well as Smart Stores, N Pay, Line, Band, V Live, and Snow, among others.
“Co-founders Allen Lau and Ivan Yuen, and the entire team at Wattpad,...
The Board of Directors of Wattpad announced today that it unanimously approved a definitive agreement to be acquired by Naver. Naver is expected to acquire the storytelling platform in a cash and stock transaction valued at more than an estimated Usd $600 million, subject to customary adjustments and other terms.
The acquisition will allow Wattpad to continue to accelerate its international growth and success. Wattpad will remain headquartered in Canada under the continued leadership of founders Allen Lau and Ivan Yuen.
Naver is known for its robust portfolio of search, e-commerce, communications, social networking and its many other content entertainment services and brands including the aforementioned Webtoon as well as Smart Stores, N Pay, Line, Band, V Live, and Snow, among others.
“Co-founders Allen Lau and Ivan Yuen, and the entire team at Wattpad,...
- 1/20/2021
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
User-submitted story-writing company Wattpad has announced the latest film to emerge from its platform, which counts 80 million users.
Wattpad is partnering with film studio Collective Pictures (which produced the Netflix sci-fit hit Code 8) on Float -- based on the hit story of the same name written by USC graduate Kate Marchant, which has accumulated 25.5 million global reads to become one of Wattpad's top Teen Fiction stories. Canadian actor and producer Robbie Amell (pictured above) -- who also starred in Code 8 -- will produce and star in the teen romance. (Both Wattpad and Collective Pictures are headquartered in Toronto).
Float follows a young girl named Waverly, who moves to live with her aunt for the summer after her parents’ messy divorce, whereupon she clashes with one of her new neighbors -- an arrogant beach bum (played by Amell), who offers to teach her own to swim.
Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.
Wattpad is partnering with film studio Collective Pictures (which produced the Netflix sci-fit hit Code 8) on Float -- based on the hit story of the same name written by USC graduate Kate Marchant, which has accumulated 25.5 million global reads to become one of Wattpad's top Teen Fiction stories. Canadian actor and producer Robbie Amell (pictured above) -- who also starred in Code 8 -- will produce and star in the teen romance. (Both Wattpad and Collective Pictures are headquartered in Toronto).
Float follows a young girl named Waverly, who moves to live with her aunt for the summer after her parents’ messy divorce, whereupon she clashes with one of her new neighbors -- an arrogant beach bum (played by Amell), who offers to teach her own to swim.
Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.
- 9/22/2020
- by Geoff Weiss
- Tubefilter.com
Robbie Amell, star of “Upload,” “Code 8” and “The Babysitter: Killer Queen,” is set to produce and star in “Float,” a movie based on Kate Marchant’s popular Wattpad teen-romance story.
Wattpad has teamed with Collective Pictures — formerly Colony Pictures — to produce “Float.” Marchant’s “Float” has accumulated more than 25.5 million reads on Wattpad and is among the top 20 stories in the teen romance category on the user-generated fiction platform.
“Float” centers on 17-year-old Waverly, who after her parents’ messy divorce finds herself yanked from her comfortable life in Alaska to spend the summer in her aunt’s sunny beach town. Waverly quickly begins to clash with one of her new neighbors and the polar opposite of everything she represents: an arrogant, jaded beach bum named Blake (Amell). Things take a turn after Blake learns Waverly’s embarrassing secret — that she can’t swim — and her one-time nemesis, who’s the town lifeguard,...
Wattpad has teamed with Collective Pictures — formerly Colony Pictures — to produce “Float.” Marchant’s “Float” has accumulated more than 25.5 million reads on Wattpad and is among the top 20 stories in the teen romance category on the user-generated fiction platform.
“Float” centers on 17-year-old Waverly, who after her parents’ messy divorce finds herself yanked from her comfortable life in Alaska to spend the summer in her aunt’s sunny beach town. Waverly quickly begins to clash with one of her new neighbors and the polar opposite of everything she represents: an arrogant, jaded beach bum named Blake (Amell). Things take a turn after Blake learns Waverly’s embarrassing secret — that she can’t swim — and her one-time nemesis, who’s the town lifeguard,...
- 9/22/2020
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
Upload star Robbie Amell is set to star in and produce Float, an adaptation of Kate Marchant’s story that originated on the digital storytelling app Wattpad.
Collective Pictures — formerly Colony Pictures, which produced Netflix’s sci-fi hit Code 8 — will also produce Float after it racked up over 25.5 million reads on Wattpad.
The movie adaptation will portray Waverly after her parents’ messy divorce yanked from her life in Alaska to spend the summer in her aunt’s sunny beach town, only to clash with an arrogant, jaded, beach bum named Blake.
“Kate wrote such an incredibly touching and relatable love story....
Collective Pictures — formerly Colony Pictures, which produced Netflix’s sci-fi hit Code 8 — will also produce Float after it racked up over 25.5 million reads on Wattpad.
The movie adaptation will portray Waverly after her parents’ messy divorce yanked from her life in Alaska to spend the summer in her aunt’s sunny beach town, only to clash with an arrogant, jaded, beach bum named Blake.
“Kate wrote such an incredibly touching and relatable love story....
- 9/22/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Upload star Robbie Amell is set to star in and produce Float, an adaptation of Kate Marchant’s story that originated on the digital storytelling app Wattpad.
Collective Pictures — formerly Colony Pictures, which produced Netflix’s sci-fi hit Code 8 — will also produce Float after it racked up over 25.5 million reads on Wattpad.
The movie adaptation will portray Waverly after her parents’ messy divorce yanked from her life in Alaska to spend the summer in her aunt’s sunny beach town, only to clash with an arrogant, jaded, beach bum named Blake.
“Kate wrote such an incredibly touching and relatable love story....
Collective Pictures — formerly Colony Pictures, which produced Netflix’s sci-fi hit Code 8 — will also produce Float after it racked up over 25.5 million reads on Wattpad.
The movie adaptation will portray Waverly after her parents’ messy divorce yanked from her life in Alaska to spend the summer in her aunt’s sunny beach town, only to clash with an arrogant, jaded, beach bum named Blake.
“Kate wrote such an incredibly touching and relatable love story....
- 9/22/2020
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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