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Crunchyroll and Idris Elba to Develop ‘Dantai’ Sci-Fi Thriller

The 'Luther' and 'Thor: Ragnarok' star's Green Door Pictures signs deal with leading anime brand to produce animated Afro-futuristic series set in a city where the rise of biotech has widened the gap between haves and have-nots.

Crunchyroll has just announced a deal with Idris Elba (Luther, Thor: Ragnarok) and Sabrina Elba, in conjunction with Idris’ Green Door Pictures and Sabrina’s Pink Towel Pictures, to develop Dantai (working title), a dark, animated Afro-futuristic science fiction fantasy series. Idris and Sabrina will serve as executive producers. Crunchyroll has also revealed it surpassed the four million subscriber milestone in January, just six months after breaking the three million subscriber mark. 

Currently in development, series will be set in a city where the rise of biotechnology has created an ever-widening gap between the haves and have-nots. Two rising stars from either side of this divide are pitted against each other in a story that will ultimately explore equality and kinship within a corrupt society.

“For more than a decade, through anime and anime-inspired Originals, Crunchyroll has been leading the charge for the popularization of adult dramatic animation and we are fast becoming the epicenter for the next generation of animation fans, as is evidenced by our incredible growth in registered users and subscribers” said Joanne Waage, General Manager, Crunchyroll. “Gens Y and Z have experienced superhero fatigue and are hungry for the new stories and ideas that our creators tell. This development deal with Sabrina and Idris Elba is another example of how we’re working with best-in-class partners to bring in new audiences and tell fresh and compelling stories through a medium that transcends genres and generations.”

The Elbas said, “We’re really excited to be announcing this deal on our first anime. We’re both fans of the genre and see a huge opportunity to create something unique for a powerhouse like Crunchyroll. The story of Dantai is our first collaboration as producers together and is one that is close to our hearts.”

“We’re thrilled to be collaborating with Idris and Sabrina to develop this anime-inspired sci-fi epic,” said Sarah Victor, Head of Development, Crunchyroll. “It is a privilege to work with such talented, creative partners and we look forward to bringing this exciting project to life.”

This project would complement Crunchyroll’s robust library of more than 1,000 titles and 30,000 episodes, available to fans in more than 200 countries and territories. Crunchyroll currently has more than 100 million registered users, four million subscribers, and more than 50 million followers across social media. 

This past December, Sony’s Funimation purchased Crunchyroll from AT&T in a $1.175 billion deal; Crunchyroll will continue to operate as part of WarnerMedia until the deal is approved by regulators.

Source: Crunchyroll

Dan Sarto's picture

Dan Sarto is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network.