How Lyrical Media Is Revolutionizing TV, Film, Gaming, and Comics

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On the day the news broke about Lyrical Media partnering with Ryder Picture Company for the film adaptation of Emily Henry’s hit 2024 romantic comedy “Funny Story,” written by the author herself, Alex Black, head of Lyrical Media, was inundated with a multitude of emails and messages.

A significant achievement for any studio, this deal stood out as remarkable because it was sealed by a three-year-old company, which is relatively new to the scene in Hollywood and is competing with established industry veterans for high-profile projects and top talents.

During the meeting, I believe we effectively conveyed to Emily that we would be excellent collaborators for this project due to our comprehensive grasp of the subject matter and our knack for producing self-reliant films – not just indie ones. This independence enables us to move swiftly and choose what’s best for the project. Emily showed genuine enthusiasm about it, even expressing a desire to adapt it herself. Needless to say, we were thrilled by this prospect.

The seller is excitedly expressing that “The Funny Story” screenplay is progressing remarkably well, but it’s important to note that this project is just one of several high-profile ventures being developed by Lyrical, all with the aim of extending their reach into various media platforms such as film, television, gaming, and comics.

Established by Black in 2021, Lyrical Productions has launched its first movie, “How to Blow Up a Pipeline,” and its joint production with Ryder Picture Company titled “Bruiser.” This film was later acquired by Hulu. Since then, Lyrical has secured an initial agreement with Ryder for future projects and is now working on “The Death of Robin Hood” for A24 Films, featuring Hugh Jackman and Jodie Comer, as well as “Onslaught,” an action-thriller by Adam Wingard starring Adria Arjona.

Further projects in development are Henry’s “Funny Story” movie, a TV series of Lauren Roberts’ hit young adult novel “Powerless,” directed by Will Gluck who is known for “Anyone But You,” a film based on romance author Brynne Weaver’s “Butcher & Blackbird,” and the action-packed post-apocalyptic film “Elevation” starring Anthony Mackie and Morena Baccarin.

Additionally, the firm has formed an alliance with graphic novelist James Tynion IV’s multimedia production company, Tiny Onion, which has received seed funding from Lyrical and collaborated with Rose City Games to co-produce the post-punk puzzle VR game “Lovesick” for Meta Quest.

Lyrical’s main concept is about creating something distinctive and contemporary across various platforms. Currently, the appeal of narratives focusing on women, such as ‘Barbie,’ and a variety of female-centric love stories, resonates with us. This trend isn’t limited to romantic tales though; it’s also evident in the horror genre with films like ‘Barbarian’ and ‘Talk to Me.’ We’re not just following this trend, but actively joining the emerging wave of horror movies that blend genres and offer a thrilling cinematic experience.

According to Black’s description, Sellers is referred to as a “reading machine” due to her ability to identify several acquisitions by keenly noticing what resonates within the TikTok reading community, often known as “BookTok.” However, it’s important to note that she isn’t the sole pitcher at Lyrical; each of the seven employees are motivated to act as their own unique content creators, as Black explains.

During a break, one team member was casually watching videos on Vimeo and stumbled upon an exceptional short film. They exclaimed, ‘Let’s connect with this creator! I believe this could be a full-length movie.’ Accordingly, we managed to find the filmmaker who lacked representation, residing outside of the U.S., through Instagram after genuinely reaching out. This approach is a reflection of our youthful team at the company seeking innovative filmmakers in our spare time, as it’s what we passionately enjoy.

Sellers commented: ‘Much of it stems from the fact that, if we weren’t all involved in film, I believe we’d still be consuming this content in our leisure time. This familiarity, I think, makes it simpler to always stay updated about what’s novel, what’s innovative, and what’s exhilarating.’

With its growth, Lyrical is venturing into television production for the first time, planning an adaption of the popular YA fantasy novel “Powerless.” Actress Sellers is gearing up to explore uncharted territories in the entertainment industry as she prepares to delve into this new aspect.

Regarding ‘Powerless,’ I was eager to get my hands on it,” Sellers expressed, full of enthusiasm. “I believed it was ideal for television due to its rich narrative potential. Although we’re newcomers in the TV realm, our unique advantage is having development financing. This allows us to pursue substantial intellectual properties like ‘Powerless,’ which many production companies without financing cannot. Additionally, we aim to leverage established television productions, learn the ropes, and ultimately create exceptional content that we’re passionate about.

As an enthusiast, I’d say I’m constantly on the hunt for individuals who can enlighten me and guide our path wisely in every domain we venture into, just like President Jon Rosenberg describes it.

Rosenberg shared that they are fortunate to collaborate with Aaron Ryder and his company, Ryder Picture Company. He considers Aaron as one of the top independent producers in the industry, whose impressive resume speaks volumes. On the graphic novel front, James Tynion is exceptional; he’s among a select group who have won the Eisner Award three times, placing him alongside the legendary Alan Moore. Furthermore, at a young age, James became the first person to manage the Batman franchise at DC Comics.

As for gaming, Rosenberg says it’s “a funny one because gaming has such specific architecture.”

Rosenberg stated that any game developer listening to our conversation would likely pull their hair out due to the need for creating a game mechanic. He explained, using The Muppets as an example, that it’s incredibly challenging to develop a successful licensed game. However, he acknowledged that there are certain intellectual properties where anything could potentially work, and these are opportunities for world-building that have yet to reach their potential on our desks. He expressed enthusiasm about the idea of creating a film or graphic novel that showcases a rich, multimedia world-building experience, one that doesn’t feel forced or unnatural.

Black expresses an interest in exploring opportunities beyond merely boosting project outputs, particularly through mergers and acquisitions. However, he approaches these possibilities with caution.

Black expressed that there are potentially fantastic prospects, notably within the gaming sector, which could prove intriguing. He mentioned Lyrical Phase 2, a project he feels they’re just beginning now, and if they can expand upon and enhance what they’ve already accomplished in the past year, achieving that goal over the next five years would be quite satisfying for him.

Black’s ultimate aspiration lies in having Lyrical perceived as a leading narrative powerhouse, regardless of the medium it employs.

He expressed his belief that there’s significant potential for expansion in every area we are currently active, particularly in film production. He appreciates A24 immensely and believes they richly deserve all the praise they receive. Working with them is a pleasure, and he admires the high-quality filmmakers they collaborate with. His ambition is to expand this collaboration, as well as forge new partnerships, possibly in other areas or fields.

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2025-01-21 23:20