Giovanni Maisto/Heavy Metal
The deal aims to adapt the 40-year-old property in new ways.
Building on recent new hires, sci-fi brand Heavy Metal is expanding its reach outside of comics via a new partnership with Allyance Media Group’s DiGa Studios, intended to bring original Heavy Metal content to television, film and more.
As part of the deal, DiGa Studios will serve as the production company for all Heavy Metal material beyond print — with plans to develop content from the past 40-plus years of the magazine’s back catalog for film, television and podcasts — while Heavy Metal will take on the role of DiGa’s preferred publishing partner. Both parties also plan to co-develop new properties for multiple platforms.
“I grew up as a fan of Heavy Metal magazine, and remember wearing out the videotape of the 1981 film, so this is a dream come true for me,” said Tony DiSanto, founder and CEO of Allyance Media Group, in a statement. “Heavy Metal’s stories, characters and art have had a tremendous impact on the sci-fi and fantasy genre globally, and we can’t wait to collaborate on creating new content together across all mediums.”
“Taking Heavy Metal off the page and onto the screen has been a core focus for us,” added Heavy Metal CEO Matt Medney. “Through this partnership, we’ll be able to activate this exciting proposition, bringing together passionate creators who care about great stories to create memorable experiences. A flagship for DiGa is their ability to think farther than the screen — the possibilities are endless for what we can imagine, and who we can imagine with.”
“At DiGa Studios we are always looking to find new opportunities that will excite and challenge us creatively. This multi-dimensional partnership with Heavy Metal is an exciting new chapter in our story," said Tommy Coriale, head of DiGa Studios. “From the first meeting with Matt and the Heavy Metal team, I knew they were going to be an amazing strategic partner in our drive to expand our footprint in scripted content, podcasts and publishing.”
Heavy Metal launched in 1977, has been continually in publication since its debut. Among the creators it has featured include Richard Corben, Pepe Moreno, Walt Simonson, Bernie Wrightson and Grant Morrison.
The deal was negotiated by Matt Medney, Tommy Coriale and Shawn Strickland, president of Allyance Media Group.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter