HarperCollins Bets on AI Studio Toonstar to Animate Book Franchises

HarperCollins is making a calculated move into digital animation, partnering with the AI-driven studio Toonstar to transform book properties into animated series. The first project will adapt Lisa Greenwald’s “Friendship List” books, with a companion graphic novel also planned.

Toonstar operates with a lower profile than major studios, but points to its YouTube series *StEvEn and Parker* as evidence of its capacity. That channel holds over 3 million subscribers, with episodes occasionally hitting a million views. The studio’s aesthetic is rudimentary, but its business case is built on efficiency. Co-founder John Attanasio told The New York Times last year that its methods allow episodes to be made 80% faster and 90% cheaper than standard industry production.

The company employs artificial intelligence throughout its pipeline, from generating storylines to dubbing dialogue for international distribution. Its current focus on AI marks a shift from an earlier emphasis on Web3 and NFTs; an early series, *Space Junk*, is on hold and its original web domain now redirects elsewhere.

In a statement, Attanasio emphasized an "artist-centered approach" to maintain the author's vision, powered by proprietary "Ink & Pixel" technology designed for rapid, scalable production. The partnership tests whether Toonstar's model, proven for YouTube content, can translate into compelling narrative television. For HarperCollins, it represents a new, cost-effective avenue to extend its literary brands into visual media.

Source: Engadget