In this ever-evolving race of streaming numbers, OTT platforms are expanding their offerings exponentially to garner a wider fanbase. Similar to Marvel investing in animation with What If…? and X-Men ‘97, Warner Bros Discovery has recently unveiled its plans to invest more and produce Japanese anime. Seems like the two production houses are going head to head in this battle of successful projects while fans wait and see who emerges triumphant.

Warner Bros Wants Anime’s Power to Reach Target Audience

Warner Bros Suicide Squad ISEKAI
Suicide Squad ISEKAI

Through their studio in Japan which has been operational since 2011, Warner Bros has released over 80 titles in anime series, movies, and live-action shows. The projects have been well-received as evident in the serialized manga that was released after the anime. James Gibbons, WBD president of Asia-Pacific is very clear on capitalizing on the format for expanding the production house. It will mean more money and wider fanbase for Warner Bros. As reported by Variety, Gibbs expressed,

“We’ve sold them to third parties. That has been one of the metrics. And they are doing very well. And, so, because we see the appeal of the category, we are expanding it. Anime is one of the best ways to reach the 18 to 30-year-old audience, which is incredibly elusive. Globally, albeit not in every market, but certainly in the U.S., parts of Europe and Latin America, we’ve got strong anime audiences.”

Also Read: Warner Bros. Discovery Has a High Chance of Going Bankrupt: “And there last hope is on… Aquaman 2”

Suicide Squad ISEKAI
Suicide Squad ISEKAI

Warner Bros is currently working on Suicide Squad ISEKAI which is based on DC characters like Harley Quinn and Deadshot. With a July release date in Japan, final touches are being made to the production so that fans can be heartily delighted with the outcome.

“There is Japanese anime that comes from original IP. But there’s also anime that comes from elsewhere. And we’ve looked at our DC universe and said, ‘Can we take these characters and reinvent them in world of world of anime,’ which is not straightforward because you have to do it the right way. You have to work with the right studios to make it happen and to build your fan base.”

The show will feature incredible action in a mystical world of magic and orcs. On top of this, Warner Bros is also planning on expanding to Korean and Chinese content that can attract more people to their platform.

Also Read: 6 Movies in Warner Bros 2024 Movie Slate Even Disney Can’t Compete With

Fans Advise Warner Bros To Learn From Mistakes

Terry McGinnis
Terry McGinnis in Batman Beyond

The news of Warner Bros expansion did not take long to make waves on social media. With a post on X, people have started commenting and urging the studio to learn from their rivals’ mistakes, including Marvel. In the Variety interview, Gibbs further said that an array of more than 10 series per year has been greenlit. This decision has faced a lot of negativity from the fans who value quality over quantity. Many fans chimed in with their two cents and reprimanded them for choosing profits over good content.

 

Furthermore, the anger was palpable when some mentioned their inability to keep their existing business afloat and then added more titles to it. While this is one of the ways in which Warner Bros is staying ahead of the competition, they should realize that modern-day audiences do not get excited over action sequences and plain superhero tropes. They need content that provokes thought and makes sense on the big screen.

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