Wattpad is seeking some dark and stormy writes as part of a new partnership with U.S. media giant Turner that will utilize its newly created Wattpad Studios division.
The Toronto-based online content platform is inviting its 45-million strong user base to develop horror-themed content for Turner’s various platforms, which include the TV channels TNT and TBS.
The first project is focused on developing stories for Tales from the Crypt, a reboot of the popular horror series set to debut on TNT in 2017. Stories written by Wattpad users will be adapted for the show, which boasts The Sixth Sense writer and director M. Night Shyamalan as its executive producer.
Wattpad plans to select writers through contests as well as “other opportunities” that will be announced via the official Turner profile on Wattpad, as well as through social media.
Justin Williams, senior vice-president of digital ventures for TNT and TBS, said the venture sat at the “intersection of content and fan engagement,” with Wattpad users having a chance to influence or have their material optioned and developed.
Williams said the partnership tapped into Wattpad’s proven strength in the horror genre, where titles such as 100 Days in Deadland have garnered 2.3 million reads from the platform’s devout user base.
Development teams from Turner’s TBS and TNT networks will also review stories on Wattpad, seeking ideas that can be developed for its TV, digital and/or mobile platforms. Turner also plans to share story ideas with the Wattpad community to receive feedback from audiences around the world.
“There are many ways we can help the entertainment industry zero in on new voices and stories with massive, built-in fan bases,” said Wattpad Studios head Aron Levitz in a release. “Through our partnership with Turner, Wattpad’s powerful insights, roster of influential writers and hyper-engaged community of fans will help define the new scary.”
The deal was brokered in association with United Talent Agency, Wattpad’s partner in the entertainment space.
Wattpad introduced Wattpad Studios in April, saying it would operate like a multi-channel network and partner with the entertainment industry to co-produce stories for print, film, TV and digital.
The division is headed by Levitz, who was previously responsible for the company’s native advertising division, Wattpad Brand Stories. Established in 2006, Wattpad has garnered approximately 250 million original story uploads (nearly 90% of which are serialized), and boasts more than 2 million regular creators. Its user base spends approximately 15 billion minutes each month on the platform.
