As we waved goodbye to the Avengers series this year, the question on every fans' lips was: would the Russo Brothers ever be able to top the superhero franchise?
It turns out they're going to try with a new anime series based on collectible card game Magic: The Gathering.
Netflix announced this morning they were teaming up with famed duo Joe and Anthony Russo in a short statement on social media.
"HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT TIME: Netflix and Wizards of the Coast are teaming up with Joe and Anthony Russo to make a Magic: The Gathering anime series and this teaser of Chandra has me asking QUESTIONS," they wrote.
After the streaming giant revealed the big news, the Russo Brothers - who will executive produce the new series - confirmed they had found their next "passion project" in a statement.
"We have been huge fans and players of Magic: The Gathering for as long as it has been around, so being able to help bring these stories to life through animation is a true passion project for us," they said.
"Magic is a beloved global franchise with a massively engaged fan base that has only continued to grow over the last 25 years," added John Derderian, head of anime programming for Netflix. "There’s no one better suited to bring this story to audiences around the world than Joe and Anthony Russo, whose talent for genre storytelling is unmatched, as is demonstrated by their central role in creating some of the biggest box office hits of all time."
The Magic: The Gathering tabletop card game was created by Richard Garfield and first released in 1993. Since then, the game has generated a digital game, esports league, comic book series, and a best-selling novel that has been published in 11 languages in more than 70 countries.
The animated show will expand on the world of Magic: The Gathering and its Planeswalkers who are described as "Magic’s unique magic-wielding heroes and villains as they contend with stakes larger than any one world can hold."
Octopie will oversee production of the series, while Bardel Entertainment will handle animation. Speaking about the new anime series, Isaac Krauss, CEO of Octopie claimed that "working with Joe and Anthony, Wizards of the Coast, and Netflix on such a universally cherished brand is a real highlight for our studio."
He added: "Our goal is to not only tell a compelling story leveraging Magic: The Gathering’s incredible body of work, but to also push the medium and perception of storytelling through animation."
"This series will cross the genres of suspenseful thriller, horror, and drama with deeply developed characters the likes of which are not often seen in animation."
Henry Gilroy and Jose Molina have joined the team as writers and co-executive producers on the series, while Yoriaki Mochizuki will serve as supervising director and co-executive producer. In addition, Todd Makurath, Eric Calderon, and Dave Newberg will act as producers, and Mike Larocca and Isaac Krauss as executive producers.
No release date has been set for the series, but there is no doubt fans will be keeping a keen eye out for further announcements.
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