EXCLUSIVE: Web3 media and entertainment company Doodles is about to acquire transatlantic animation studio Golden Wolf.
Doodles began as a series of character-based digital collectibles created by artist Burnt Toast in October 2021 and has grown into a franchise of animation, games, merchandise, music and live events. With the acquisition of Golden Wolf, it is now pushing harder for original content.
The transaction, the financial terms of which have not yet been disclosed, will be finalized in the coming weeks. Upon completion, the team will join Golden Wolf Doodles. Ingi Erlingsson, CEO and founder of Golden Wolf, will become Chief Content Officer of Doodles, but will continue to lead Golden Wolf’s offices in London and New York.
In addition, Doodles will leverage Golden Wolf’s strategic partnership with creative studio Psyop to form a joint venture, Active Ingredient. It aims to reinvent “storytelling and the tools that make it a reality” by leveraging advances in AI and blockchain technology to create tools and techniques for brands, filmmakers and producers.
As part of the deal, Psyop will invest in Doodles, which counts Pharrell Williams on its board.
Golden Wolf is known for producing additional content for adult animated series Rick and Morty and describes his style as “living in the space between irreverent humor, intensely dynamic action and psychedelia”. It has also created content for Disney, Illumination, Nike and Facebook, among others, and is committed to developing original content in longer form.
In an early project, Burnt Toast and Golden Wolf are working on “original narrative content” and developing the Doodles characters and stories. This can include original series, video games and product marketing assets.
“This partnership will unlock unlimited potential in each of our businesses and accelerate our goal of redefining entertainment through compelling stories and worlds,” said Erlingsson.
“Web3 is fueling a new generation of collectibles, fandom and consumer mindsets,” said Doodles CEO Julian Holguin. “This investment is a step that advances our strategic priorities of creating world-class content, using technology to create new formats, and ultimately bringing joy to millions of people around the world.”
Holguin told Deadline that Doodles “is in talks with various traditional media and creative/producers to create a show.”
He added, “Golden Wolf will always produce content that will be shared across social channels for Doodles, and we are already developing content on a longer scale and hatching new IP – some in collaboration with established Hollywood creatives . Some of these initiatives will lead with Web3 and others will not.”
Golden Wolf continues to service other brands and companies.
Author: Jesse Whittock
Source: Deadline
Joseph Fearn is an entertainment and television aficionado who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a keen eye for what’s hot in the world of TV, Joseph keeps his readers informed about the latest trends and must-see shows.
