Idris & Sabrina Elba Developing Sci-Fi Animated Thriller for Crunchyroll

Idris and Sabrina Elba, in conjunction with Idris’s Green Door Pictures and Sabrina’s Pink Towel Pictures, are developing Dantai (working title), a dark fantasy animated series for Crunchyroll’s global anime audience.

Idris and Sabrina will serve as executive producers. Currently in development, the Afro-futuristic science-fiction series will be set in a city where the rise of biotechnology has created an ever-widening gap between the haves and have-nots. Two rising stars from either side of this divide are pitted against each other in a story that will ultimately explore equality and kinship within a corrupt society.

Crunchyroll is also announcing that the global brand has surpassed the 4 million subscriber milestone in January, just six months after breaking the 3 million subscriber mark.

“For more than a decade, through anime and anime-inspired originals, Crunchyroll has been leading the charge for the popularization of adult dramatic animation and we are fast becoming the epicenter for the next generation of animation fans, as is evidenced by our incredible growth in registered users and subscribers,” said Joanne Waage, general manager of Crunchyroll. “Gens Y and Z have experienced superhero fatigue and are hungry for the new stories and ideas that our creators tell. This development deal with Sabrina and Idris Elba is another example of how we’re working with best-in-class partners to bring in new audiences and tell fresh and compelling stories through a medium that transcends genres and generations.”

“We’re thrilled to be collaborating with Idris and Sabrina to develop this anime-inspired sci-fi epic,” said Sarah Victor, head of development at Crunchyroll. “It is a privilege to work with such talented, creative partners and we look forward to bringing this exciting project to life.”

Idris and Sabrina Elba commented: “We’re really excited to be announcing this deal on our first anime. We’re both fans of the genre and see a huge opportunity to create something unique for a powerhouse like Crunchyroll. The story of Dantai is our first collaboration as producers together and is one that is close to our hearts.”