The Fox Innovation Lab at 20th Century Fox has joined forces with Emmy-winning cinematic virtual reality producer Felix & Paul Studios to develop, direct and produce VR experiences for Fox properties. The partnership will also involve multi-picture production deals with acclaimed directors, with the first project to be announced early next year.
The deal was brokered by Verve’s Bryan Besser on behalf of Felix & Paul.
“The Fox Innovation Lab has long understood that virtual reality requires an entirely new language of storytelling, enabling audiences to engage with characters and stories in ways never before possible,” said Ryan Horrigan, Chief Content Officer of Felix & Paul Studios and head of its LA office. “Fox continues to take a major leadership role in this new medium and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to co-produce premium cinematic VR experiences and series that will captivate audiences worldwide.”
A kind of “proof of concept” project was undertaken in 2015 between Fox Innovation Lab and Felix & Paul, based on the feature film Wild (from Cheryl Strayed’s bestselling autobiographical account). Directed by Paul Raphaël and Félix Lajeunesse, Wild – The Experience is an immersive three-minute VR experience set in a private moment on the Pacific Crest Trail with Academy Award winner Reese Witherspoon and Academy Award nominee Laura Dern’s characters.
“Felix & Paul Studios is a visionary studio that represents the highest caliber of immersive and engaging experiences, and their vision for bringing virtual reality to mainstream audiences makes them a perfect partner to help realize the possibilities for the future of consumer entertainment, from both a creative and technical perspective,” said Mike Dunn, President of 20th Century Fox Home Ent. and Fox Innovation Lab.
The Fox Innovation Lab is an R&D center established to drive the entertainment company’s advancement of groundbreaking technology and new consumer experiences across all formats and distribution models. The Lab’s first commercial project, The Martian VR Experience, launched in November for PlayStation VR and HTC Vive on Steam, and just arrived on Oculus.
