Netflix continue to muscle their way towards the top of the film and TV landscape. In the first acquisition in their company history, the streaming giant have purchased Millarworld, the comic book publishing firm founded by Mark Millar, creator of such characters and stories as Kingsman and Kick-Ass.
Naturally, Netflix hasn’t purchased the company for their comic books, as they have announced that they will develop films, TV series and kids’ shows based on Millarworld’s plethora of characters and series. Though Millarworld will still continue to publish under the Netflix label.
Netflix’s Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos, while announcing the deal, said:
“As creator and re-inventor of some of the most memorable stories and characters in recent history, ranging from Marvel’s The Avengers to Millarworld’s Kick-Ass, Kingsman, Wanted and Reborn franchises, Mark is as close as you can get to a modern-day Stan Lee“.
Millar himself went on to add:
“This is only the third time in history a major comic book company has been purchased at this level. I’m so in love with what Netflix is doing and excited by their plans. Netflix is the future and Millarworld couldn’t have a better home”.
This purchase gives Netflix a strong hold over the flourishing genre of comic book adaptations. With Marvel’s upcoming The Defenders set to be one of the big TV events of the year, along with the separate shows leading to the show that remain on their service, Netflix have become the go-to network for viewers looking for additional content outside of the cinematic side of the MCU and other similar franchises.
The acquisition of Millarworld should allow the company to keep rolling out various comic book adaptations, importantly however they like. Certain characters that demand a longer, more developed arc can be adapted into TV series, while stories that perhaps focus on grander, larger scale moments can be made into films.
It gives Netflix plenty of options, without having to worry about someone else sneaking in to adapt a particular property first.
Millar, who runs Millarworld with his wife Lucy Millar, previously spent eight years at Marvel and developed the story arcs that inspired the first Avengers film, Captain America: Civil War and Logan, which went on to gross over $3 billion combined at the worldwide box office.
At Millarworld, the company and it s co-creators have created 18 character worlds, of which three have spawned successful film franchises – the aforementioned Wanted, Kingsman and Kick-Ass. It’s safe to say Netflix have pulled off a very smart deal here that they should reap the rewards from for years to come.
#Peace.Love.Millarworld
