MWM Pacts With Artist Hebru Brantley And His ‘FlyBoy’ IP For Upstart Universe Division, Hires Former Hulu Exec

EXCLUSIVE: MWM (Madison Wells Media) has partnered with well-known Chicago-based artist Hebru Brantley and his Angry Hero Productions to create custom IPs for a brand new division, the MWM Universe. The division will now be overseen by Morgan Kruger who comes to MWM from Hulu. MWMU and Angry Hero will start developing Brantley’s FlyBoy character and the Nevermore world to build stories, characters and content and to capitalize on what was has been a popular IP since 2007. Brantley is Chicago-based and MWM co-founder and CEO Gigi Pritzker also hails from the Windy City.

“As a Chicagoan, I have enjoyed Hebru’s art, and Flyboy in particular, for a long time,” said Pritzker. “It’s exciting that MWM now has the chance to work with him and grow such magical characters while building worlds and stories around them.”

MWM has been focusing on cross-platform content creation while also acquiring and extending IPs across media including film, TV, immersive gaming, comics and books.  MWMU and Kruger will work with Brantley to breathe life into Flyboy and his Nevermore world’s ancillary characters Lil Momma, Vigil, and Mr. Nobody.

“By launching this division we allow content to go beyond the confines of just one medium and live beyond just one iteration of creativity while simultaneously building strong and lasting relationships with major consumers and fans,” said MWM co-founder and President Clint Kisker.

Kruger, as EVP of Operations at MWMU, will be responsible for the core strategy and operations of the division, responsible for creating, acquiring, and monetizing IPs for both emerging and traditional media. She previously served on the Content Acquisition team at Hulu where she created and implemented content strategy for the streaming platform through the negotiation and execution of key content deals. Kruger has also previously held roles in Disney’s Corporate Strategy and Business Development group, DreamWorks and UBS Investment Bank.

In addition to Brantley’s FlyBoy, MWMU will oversee, acquire and create other new IP in order to develop properties into complete worlds on all platforms. The company already existing IP, like Ender’s Game, the bestselling book by Orson Scott Card, which was made into a 2013 feature film and is being developed for TV by MWM Studios (formerly OddLot Entertainment).

By establishing MWMU, MWM states it looks to “elevate their existing ties in the industry across many forms of media and distribution, including MWM strategic investment partner Wonderstorm, a story and play studio that is currently building an immersive world to be distributed as a Netflix Original animated series and a AAA-quality video game.”

MWM now consists of four individually branded operating divisions: MWM Studios for film and television projects, MWM Live for live theater, MWM Immersive and with the start of FlyBoy, MWM Universe.