Netflix Inc. have announced they have acquired Millarworld, the comic book publishing powerhouse founded by Mark Millar, the legendary creator of such iconic characters and stories as Kick-Ass, Kingsman, and Old Man Logan, and one of the most important voices in comics.
“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,” Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos commented “We can’t wait to harness the creative power of Millarworld to Netflix and start a new era in global storytelling.”
Sarandos explained that together, Netflix and Millar will bring Millarworld’s portfolio of critically and fan-acclaimed character franchises to life through films, series and kids’ shows available exclusively to Netflix members globally. Millarworld will also continue to create and publish new stories and character franchises under the Netflix label. The acquisition, the first ever by Netflix, is a natural progression in the company’s effort to work directly with prolific and skilled creators and to acquire intellectual property and ownership of stories featuring compelling characters and timeless, interwoven fictional worlds. Terms of the transaction weren’t disclosed.
“This is only the third time in history a major comic book company has been purchased at this level,” Millar commented “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.”