Streaming mega giant Netflix just acquired Mark Millar and wife Lucy Millar’s publishing company Millarworld.
Millarworld was mark and Lucy’s independent comic book publishing company that allowed the two to publish their own original stories and creations as well as create clothing, video games, toys, and other licensed products.
Millarworld houses proven commercial products such as Wanted, Kick-Ass, and Kingsman.
Wanted starred Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman, and James McAvoy. It grossed $341.4 million worldwide with only a $75 million production budget.
Kick-Ass proved itself with $96.2 million worldwide gross on a $30 million production budget. The first movie was successful enough to spawn a sequel in Kick-Ass 2.
Probably the biggest commercial success is Kingsman: The Secret Service. The movie grossed $414.3 million worldwide on an $81 million production budget. A sequel, Kingsman: The Golden Circle is due out in theaters on September 22, 2017.
Other Millarworld products include Jupiter’s Circle and Chrononauts which was optioned for film by Universal back in March of 2015.
Netflix Canada also teased a number of the IPs the company acquired. They include recent titles like Empress and Reborn to older titles like Starlight.
Dreams were how we got started. pic.twitter.com/t2ZAxucAVj
— Netflix Canada (@Netflix_CA) August 7, 2017
Not only has Millar proven his independent work is commercially successful, but he’s a fan favorite from Marvel having written the original Civil War and Old Man Logan books which both were adopted to film recently in Captain America: Civil War and Logan.
Netflix already confirmed they will be bringing the Millarworld IPs “to the screen through films, TV series and also kids’ shows, and Millarworld will continue to create new comics under the Netflix brand.” However, Millar did not in an open letter about the acquisition that Kingsman and Kick-Ass are not part of the deal. “Kingsman and Kick-Ass have unique Hollywood deals elsewhere and aren’t a part of this particular acquisition, but those two fine men are toasting us in spirit from London and California respectively.” You can read his full statement from Twitter below:
One and only, deliriously happy statement from me on the Netflix acquisition of Millarworld today: https://t.co/fDrJ8mWwH0
— Millarworld (@mrmarkmillar) August 7, 2017
One thing is clear, comics are the powerhouse that are driving the majority of the entertainment industry now and Netflix’s first ever acquisition is a powerful testament to how much they are influencing popular culture now.
Netflix already hosts all of the DC Comics shows from The CW as well as Marvel Cinematic Universe tie-ins Daredevil, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and Iron Fist. It appears they want to have their own IP and they just made that happen with Millarworld.
Which Millarworld IP are you most excited to see get adapted?