Aron Levitz de Wattpad WEBTOON Studios
Wattpad WEBTOON Studios is adapting the Perfectos Mentirosos (Perfect Liars) trilogy to a series, which is based on the book of the Venezuelan author Alex Mírez, with 105 million readings. The novel “Boulevard”, written by the Mexican Flor M. Salvado and with 75 million readings, will become a film.
Both are the first projects in Spanish to be self-funded by the Wattpad WEBTOON Studios Development Fund -launched in 2020-, and the company’s initial move to finance top-quality projects in film and TV. Naver, the parent company of Wattpad, made a US$100 million investment in June 2021, increasing the production financing capabilities of Wattpad WEBTOON Studios.
Two weeks ago Netflix successfully launched the movie A Través de mi Ventana (Through My Window), an original story from the writer and influencer of Wattpad, Ariana Godoy, with +325 million readings. Wattpad WEBTOON Studios was responsible for the executive production and the film was rated number 1 in 22 Netflix territories and top 10 in 85 regions, generating more than 33 million hours of viewing during its opening weekend. Netflix has already approved the production of two sequels of the film.
Perfectos Mentirosos will be produced in Mexico by José Miguel Núñez, Anna Grajales, and Paola Mazlum, while Javier Ruescas, author of YA novels, will write the screenplay for the film franchise based on the novel Boulevard, produced in Spain.
Grajales and Mazlum are currently writing a teen series for Netflix, and developing shows for Fábula, Pablo Larraín’s Oscar-winning company, as well as films for WarnerMedia and Sony. Ruescas’ credits include the upcoming Warner Bros. and Atresmedia Cine film, Somos Fuego (We Are Fire), and Yo Soy el que Soy (I Am Who I Am), a series in development based on the biography of violinist Aaron Lee.
“For some time now, we’ve been working on projects in Spanish. This is a key pillar for our studios. What we know today about the Latin American market and the stories in the region is very different from what was known 10 or 15 years ago. We know that stories in English are not the only ones that travel. We have several other projects in Spanish still in the confidential phase,” explained Aron Levitz, President of Wattpad WEBTOON Studios. Levitz also commented that they signed a production agreement with Paramount (ViacomCBS International Studios) for content in Spanish, Italian, and German.
Perfectos Mentirosos and Boulevard will be produced by Levitz, Lindsey Weems Ramey, Taylor Grant, and Carla Zeller of Wattpad WEBTOON Studios.
