Creators, Anime and New Mini‑Studios: The IShowSpeed Case
One of the most interesting signs of the ongoing dialogue between Hollywood and the creator economy comes from a project announced in April: an anime‑style series centered on IShowSpeed, a young YouTube star with tens of millions of followers worldwide. Behind the pseudonym IShowSpeed is Darren Jason Watkins Jr., a 21‑year‑old American streamer from Cincinnati who became popular thanks to highly energetic livestreams focused on video games, sports and “IRL” content (out and about in cities, stadiums and events).
The series is being developed by Big Shot Pictures, the new company founded by Brian Robbins, former co‑CEO of Paramount, and effectively marks his first original project after leaving the studio. The show is written and produced by Matt Owens, who previously served as showrunner on Netflix’s live‑action adaptation of “One Piece”, bringing together deep experience with anime‑related storytelling and a strong track record with global IP. The concept is straightforward: turn IShowSpeed into an animated character, with the creator himself voicing a “cartoon” version of his persona, in order to build a project designed from the outset for the international market.
The project is notable for at least three reasons. First, it shows how former studio executives are setting up new independent entities that can move nimbly across platforms, genres and formats. Second, it puts the creator figure at the very origin of the intellectual property: no longer just a testimonial, but the “source” from which a new audiovisual franchise is generated. Finally, it confirms the growing weight of Japanese‑inspired animation as a shared language for a young, global audience, with potential implications for anyone working across animation, gaming and digital content.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter
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One of the most interesting signs of the ongoing dialogue between Hollywood and the creator economy comes from a project announced in April: an anime‑style series centered on IShowSpeed, a young YouTube star with tens of millions of followers worldwide. Behind the pseudonym IShowSpeed is Darren Jason Watkins Jr., a 21‑year‑old American streamer from Cincinnati who became popular thanks to highly energetic livestreams focused on video games, sports and “IRL” content (out and about in cities, stadiums and events).
The series is being developed by Big Shot Pictures, the new company founded by Brian Robbins, former co‑CEO of Paramount, and effectively marks his first original project after leaving the studio. The show is written and produced by Matt Owens, who previously served as showrunner on Netflix’s live‑action adaptation of “One Piece”, bringing together deep experience with anime‑related storytelling and a strong track record with global IP. The concept is straightforward: turn IShowSpeed into an animated character, with the creator himself voicing a “cartoon” version of his persona, in order to build a project designed from the outset for the international market.
The project is notable for at least three reasons. First, it shows how former studio executives are setting up new independent entities that can move nimbly across platforms, genres and formats. Second, it puts the creator figure at the very origin of the intellectual property: no longer just a testimonial, but the “source” from which a new audiovisual franchise is generated. Finally, it confirms the growing weight of Japanese‑inspired animation as a shared language for a young, global audience, with potential implications for anyone working across animation, gaming and digital content.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter
Share:
Cinecittà 2026: A New Chapter for Italy's Iconic Studios“The Rookie”: A Contemporary Broadcast Case Study in Gen Z Engagement
