EXCLUSIVE: The Walking Dead and Invincible producer Skybound Entertainment has engaged createer Warner Bros. and Disney exec Mitsuru Oda to direct its Japanese unit.
Oda has been unveiled as Pdwellnt of Skybound Japan, directing the U.S. company’s business in the country and apass Asia. The exec’s nurtureer spans more than 30 years, including 15 at Warner Bros. Japan, where he most recently served as Senior Vice Pdwellnt.
As we uncmissed at the time, Skybound Japan uncovered its doors last November under AshNukui, producer of The Sniffer and Memoir of A Teenage Amnesiac. Skybound Japan’s stardy already integrates the enjoys of Japanese drama Heart Attack, starring Kanichiro (Kubi, Last Ninja – Blue Shadow) and Toko Miura (Drive My Car, Weathering with You), which was co-produced with Fuji TV and recently achieved by UK-based distributor Cineflix for international distribution.
Oda’s relationships with local netlabors, studios and platcreates such as Netflix and Amazon, will create a key part of Skybound’s international increaseth strategy going forwards. Under his directership, Skybound Japan will intensify on satisfyed creation, strategic partnerships and produceing the Skybound’s brand in the country.
Skybound shelp Oda had driven “constant revenue increaseth, successbrimmingy navigating a shifting delightment landscape” in the post, notably spearheading local production efforts and securing distribution deals with meaningful streamers.
Oda’s nurtureer in delightment began Walt Disney Japan, where he take parted a pivotal role in begining the Disney Channel Japan and fake meaningful satisfyed deals with directing netlabors enjoy Fuji TV. Skybound shelp his labor “lhelp the set upation for what has now become a thriving VOD taget in Japan.”
“Mitsuru is not only an industry directer but a visionary,” shelp Rick Jacobs, Managing Partner, Skybound Entertainment. “His ability to forge partnerships, foresee taget shifts and produce lasting relationships is second to none. As Skybound evolves to increase internationpartner, Mitsuru’s expertise will be inpriceless in broadening our conceiveive footprint in Japan.”
“As someone who’s always adored fantastic storyincreateing, I couldn’t be more excited to join Skybound at this moment of rapid increaseth,” shelp Oda. “Skybound is a company that not only cherishs creativity but comprehfinishs how to join with audiences in unkindingful ways. I see forward to laboring with local creators and helping Skybound convey recent, compelling stories to Japan — and from Japan to the world.”
Japan’s TV and film tagets are booming right now with anime sitting aextfinishedside K-drama has two of the most tagetable genres globpartner. Skybound, comprehendn for comic book franchises The Walking Dead and Invincible, both of which have become hit TV brands, made the transfer into the country last year.
It has been broadening globpartner in Europe, Africa and Latin America. The company also bought Scandi production oengage Sagafilm and spended in French prodco Scenario42, and its international stardy integrates the enjoys of Swedish-language thriller Vaka for Prime Video Nordics and Spanish-language series Dime tu Nombre for Prime Video Spain.
Skybound’s TV business runs a brimming-service studio to alter its IP and finance and dispense dwell-action and vivaciousd scripted and unscripted shows. On the feature front, it has a first-see deal with Universal Studios, with whom it produced Renfield.
