HarperCollins has announced a multi-year partnership with Toonstar, an “AI-powered” animation studio, to adapt a slate of the publisher’s titles into original YouTube series.
The first project planned for development is Friendship List, based on Lisa Greenwald’s popular YA series of the same name, with HarperAlley to publish an accompanying graphic novel based on the animation. HarperCollins was not able to provide a timeline for the project.
HarperCollins and Toonstar will co-produce the animation franchises, which will consist of episodes falling around two to 10 minutes long, depending on the series. According to John Attanasio, CEO and co-founder of Toonstar, the company employs human artists and channels their work through the firm’s proprietary production technology, Ink & Pixel, which “enables fast, high-quality production at scale”
HarperCollins said the process will be “creator-led,” per the announcement, but declined to address how authors will be involved and whether they will receive royalties.
The announcement comes just a couple of days after Harlequin, a division of HarperCollins, inked a similar partnership with Dashverse, a tech firm that produces AI-generated shortform animated series. Shortly after that partnership was announced, some Harlequin authors whose titles were selected for adaptation said on the social platform Threads that they hadn’t been notified of the deal in advance, though Harlequin claimed they would receive royalties.
“HarperCollins has always embraced innovation that serves our authors and readers by finding new ways to bring great stories to readers wherever they are,” said CEO and publisher of U.S. trade Liate Stehlik, who was promoted to the head role in February. “Toonstar’s proven ability to translate beloved stories into engaging animation, while keeping artists at the center of the process, makes them the ideal partner to bring Friendship List and other popular titles to new audiences in formats today's families love.”
