‘Freaking Romance’ Movie in the Works From Wattpad Webtoon, Skybound (Exclusive)

Wattpad Webtoon Studios, the screen entertainment arm of web-based publisher of Webtoon Entertainment, and Skybound Entertainment, the banner behind The Walking Dead and Invincible, are teaming up to develop an adaptation of webcomic hit Freaking Romance.

Matthew Kic and Mike Sorce, rising scribes who have twice had scripts on the Black List, have been tapped to pen the screenplay for what is intended to be a live-action feature.

Aron Levitz, David Madden and Jason Goldberg will produce for Wattpad Webtoon. Robert Kirkman, David Alpert and Rick Jacobs are producing the film via Skybound. Skybound’s Fred D. Lee will oversee the project.

The story centers on a young woman named Lily who moves into the only place she can afford, a haunted apartment. She soon discovers that the so-called ghost occupying the house isn’t a paranormal apparition, but rather a man from another dimension, and before you know it, a love that knows no cosmic boundaries unfolds.

Freaking Romance hails from a creator who goes by the name Snailords. The title has become one of Webtoon’s big hits, with over 468 million views globally, per the company. The webcomic has also been published as a hard copy graphic novel by Webtoon Unscrolled, with a first volume out now and a second one releasing in June 2024.

“Freaking Romance is the type of creative, memorable and special story that a studio always hopes to produce,” said Wattpad Webtoon’s head of global entertainment David Madden. “We know that Snailords and their devoted fan base will be expecting a lot from us in this adaptation, and we’re honored to work with Skybound, one of the industry’s most acclaimed creators of sci-fi and supernatural entertainment, to make the incredible film that this supernatural love story deserves.”

Webtoon is the leader in web-based comics, which have overtaken traditional comics in popularity among Gen Z. The company created a studio arm to expand into adaptations and has several projects in the works. The Jim Henson Company is developing an animated series based on Rachel Smythe’s Lore Olympus while Roy Lee’s Vertigo Entertainment is working on Gremoryland, a horror story by A. Rasen. Also heating up is Chasing Red, a romance being produced by Stampede Ventures.

“I started working with Webtoon after entering into one of their contests while I was in college, and I could never have imagined that one day that relationship would end up with me having my very own film adaptation,” said Snailords in a statement. “Creating original stories is my passion in life, and I am grateful to my incredible audience for supporting me and being with me every step of the way. I’m excited for Wattpad Webtoon Studios and Skybound to take my storytelling to a place it hasn’t been before … the movies!”

Skybound is currently enjoying major success in the comic book field as its reboot of Transformers and G.I. Joe titles, combined under an umbrella named The Energon Universe, has come to rival Marvel and DC in sales. The company is known for its television series, including The Walking Dead and Invincible, adapted from the comics by Skybound founder Kirkman. The company is in production on Heart Attack, a live-action dystopian drama about love and deprivation based on its comic by Shawn Kittelsen and Eric Zawadzki. A co-production with Fuji TV, the series stars Kan’ichiro and Toko Miura (Drive My Car).

“As avid fans of vertical scrolling comics, we have been dying to get in business with Wattpad Webtoon, and Freaking Romance has everything we love about the medium: beautiful artwork, unexpected plot twists, and of course sci-fi and the supernatural elements,” said Rick Jacobs, Skybound’s managing partner of linear content.