London-based AI creative studio Wonder Studios has secured $12 million in seed funding, an investment aimed at expanding its production capabilities for AI-generated content within the entertainment sector. The capital infusion is expected to facilitate the company's push into intellectual property ownership and original content creation.
The funding round was spearheaded by Atomico, with participation from existing investors LocalGlobe and Blackbird. This builds on Wonder's pre-seed investment, which included contributions from executives associated with ElevenLabs, Google DeepMind, and OpenAI. Wonder Studios stated the fresh funds would be used to double its engineering team and accelerate its initiatives in IP ownership and original content development.
Wonder Studios has already engaged in notable projects, including the production of an AI-powered music video for Lewis Capaldi’s "Something in the Heavens," a collaboration with DeepMind, YouTube, and Universal Music Group. The studio also launched its inaugural original production, the "Beyond the Loop" anthology series. Looking ahead, Wonder Studios is developing several commercial and original projects slated for release next year, among them an upcoming documentary in partnership with Campfire Studios, known for Netflix productions such as "The Menendez Brothers" and "America’s Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders." Ross Dinerstein, CEO of Campfire Studios, is also an investor in Wonder Studios.
The studio’s focus on IP ownership coincides with increasing legal actions from Hollywood producers targeting AI companies over the use of copyrighted content for model training and the generation of characters. Major studios, including Disney and Universal Studios, have initiated lawsuits against entities like Chinese company MiniMax and AI image generator Midjourney, according to industry reports. Concurrently, Netflix has indicated a strategy to integrate generative AI to enhance creative efficiency in storytelling. The broader entertainment industry remains divided on AI's role, with some artists expressing concern that AI tools, often trained on their work without explicit consent, could impact their livelihoods. OpenAI’s Sora 2, for example, has faced criticism regarding its ability to reproduce actors’ likenesses without prior notification or consent.
Wonder Studios positions itself as "Hollywood without borders," aiming to make AI storytelling tools broadly accessible to creators. The company maintains that its application functions as a central hub, connecting its community of creators with career opportunities, collaborators, and various resources. Justin Hackney, Chief Commercial Officer and co-founder of Wonder Studios, stated, "The next decade will define what creativity looks like in the age of AI. Our mission is to ensure that this future belongs to the storytellers."
