Adi Shankar's Bootleg Universe

Last updated
Adi Shankar's Bootleg Universe
Formerly
  • Adi Shankar Productions
  • The Adi Shankar Brand
  • The Bootleg Universe
Company typePrivately held company
IndustryFilm and television, animation, gaming, comic books
Founded2012 (2012)
Founder Adi Shankar
Headquarters,
Key people
Adi Shankar
Divisions
  • Adi Shankar Animation
  • Adi Shankar Productions
  • Adi Shankar Presents
  • Bootleg Software (Gaming)
  • Bootleg Journalism (Documentaries)
Subsidiaries
  • The Angry Metal Company
  • 1984 Private Defense Contractors

Adi Shankar's Bootleg Universe Media Group is a media company founded in 2012 by Indian-American producer & television show creator Adi Shankar.

Contents

Bootleg Universe began as a viral YouTube fan film series delivering unauthorized and subversive takes on established media properties, including Marvel's The Punisher in The Punisher: Dirty Laundry , the disturbingly dark Pokémon finale titled The End of Pokémon, and the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers satire Power/Rangers .

It has since evolved into a comprehensive entertainment entity under a unified creative rubric built on subversion. Today, the company produces a diverse range of content spanning live-action, animation, film, television series, documentaries, and video games.

Notable animation projects include acclaimed and innovative series such as Castlevania , The Guardians of Justice , and Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix . Notable feature film projects include Dredd , The Voices , and The Grey .

Divisions, subsidiaries and labels

Divisions

Subsidiaries

Labels

List of short films

'One-Shot' short films

Popular Culture Satires Released Under 'The Bootleg Universe.' [1]

List of television works

Television series

Series produced under 'Adi Shankar Animation'

  • Castlevania (2017–2021)
    • When his wife is burned at the stake after being falsely accused of witchcraft, the vampire Count Dracula declares all the people of Wallachia will pay with their lives. He summons an army of demons which overruns the country, causing the people to live lives of fear and distrust. To combat this, the outcast monster hunter Trevor Belmont takes up arms against Dracula's forces, aided by the magician Sypha Belnades and Dracula's dhampir son Alucard.
    • The series is based on the video game series by Konami, and is written by Warren Ellis and produced by Frederator Studios, Powerhouse Animation Studios, Shankar Animation, Project 51 Productions and Mua Film. [8] The first season of four 30-minute episodes was released on July 7, 2017. [9] The second season is eight episodes long and was released on October 26, 2018. [10] The ten-episode third season was released on March 5, 2020. [11] The series ended with the release of its fourth season on May 13, 2021. [12]
  • Castlevania: Nocturne (2023–present)
    • On May 11, 2021, Netflix announced that a new series with a new cast of characters, set in the Castlevania universe, is being planned. [13] The series focuses on Richter Belmont, a descendant of Trevor and Sypha, alongside Maria Renard during the French Revolution. [14]
    • Castlevania: Nocturne premiered on Netflix on September 28, 2023. The series received critical acclaim, with praise for its animation, directing, writing, themes, and voice cast, while its pacing and character development drew some criticism. The series focuses on Richter Belmont, Trevor and Sypha's descendant, and Maria Renard, and is set during the French Revolution.
  • Devil May Cry (2025)

Series produced under 'Bootleg Universe'

  • The Guardians of Justice (2022)
    • A seven episode live-action/animated superhero television series that satirizes DC Comics and the Justice League. The series was released on Netflix on March 1, 2022. [19] [20]
    • Decider recommended the show with a "Stream It" rating, citing the show's "riot of visuals and breathless narrative. [21] Winteriscoming.net praised the show for its "inventive, creative, and fast-paced" approach. [22] GameRant called it a "mixed-media experience that must be seen to be believed." [23] Comicon.com compared the show to early hip hop artists, saying "Just as graffiti will appear as vandalism to some and street art to others The Guardians of Justice will be a polarizing series". [24] Sportskeeda called it "refreshingly unique and made for the present-day audience." [25] Mint Lounge said of the show "Shankar has created something highly original out of something all too familiar." [26] ReadySteadyCut gave it four out of five stars, saying "Any even remotely geek-savvy viewer will delight in picking up every reference". [27]
  • Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix (2023)
    • In an alternate history 1992 where the United States has become the dystopian technocracy Eden, supersoldier fugitive Dolph Laserhawk leads a covert operations group called the Ghosts under supervision from Supermaxx.
    • The series was announced in June 2021. It is inspired by Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon while featuring remixed versions of several prominent Ubisoft properties. [28] [29] The first season was released on October 19, 2023 on Netflix. [30]
    • On Rotten Tomatoes, the series has an approval rating of 89%. Hayden Mears of IGN gave the show a 9.0 out of 10 'Amazing' score, stating that it is "as brutal as it is heartfelt, Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix never feels robbed of clever ways to mesh an eclectic group of Ubisoft favorites into a single madcap story." The Verge's Charles Pulliam-Moore states that the show "plays like a joyride through Ubisoft's vast library of classic video game IP."

List of film works

Feature films

Films produced under '1984 Private Defense Contractors'

  • The Grey (2012)
    • Starred Liam Neeson and was directed by Joe Carnahan.
    • The survival thriller was distributed by Lionsgate.
    • The film grossed $81 million worldwide.
    • On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 80% based on 211 reviews. The site's critical consensus reads, "The Grey is an exciting tale of survival, populated with fleshed-out characters and a surprising philosophical agenda." [32]
  • The Voices (2014)
    • The horror comedy starred Ryan Reynolds, was directed by Marjane Satrapi, written by Michael R. Perry, and was distributed by Lionsgate.
    • The story follows a man suffering from schizophrenia and trying to maintain secrecy about his hallucinations. While off his medications, the man kills and dismembers his love interest. Later, he hallucinates that the dead woman urges him to kill again in order to provide her with a companion.
    • The 20th annual L'Etrange Festival in Paris bestowed two awards on the film: the Canal+ Nouveau Genre Award (the festival's Grand Prize) and the equally prestigious Audience Award. [35] The 2015 Festival International du Film Fantastique de Gérardmer granted two more honors to the film: the Audience Award and the Jury Award. [36]
    • In 2020, Reynolds said of the film "One of my favorite movies I've ever done. Never really got its day in court, but man, it's weird and fun and beautiful." [37] [38]

Films produced under 'Bootleg Universe'

Films produced under 'Adi Shankar Productions'

Films produced under 'Adi Shankar Presents'

List of music video works

Produced under 'The Angry Metal Company'

Produced under 'Adi Shankar Productions'

List of publishing works

Published under 'Bootleg Universe'

List of gaming works

Produced under 'The Angry Metal Company'

Upcoming projects

Adi Shankar Animation

Bootleg Universe

Bootleg Software

Related Research Articles

Alucard (<i>Castlevania</i>) Fictional character in Castlevania video games

Adrian Fahrenheit Țepeș, better known as Alucard, is a character in Konami's Castlevania series of video games. His first appearance in the series was in the 1989 game Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse, but he is best known for his role in the critically acclaimed Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, released in 1997. His design in Symphony of the Night was created by Ayami Kojima, marking her first contribution to the Castlevania franchise.

<i>Castlevania III: Draculas Curse</i> 1989 video game

Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse is a 1989 action-platform game developed and published by Konami for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was released in Japan in 1989, and in North America in 1990, and in Europe by Palcom in 1992. It was later released on the Virtual Console for the Wii, Nintendo 3DS and Wii U.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adult animation</span> Animation aimed at adults

Adult animation, also known as mature animation, and infrequently as adult-oriented animation, is any type of animated motion media that is catered specifically to adult interests and is mainly targeted and marketed towards adults and adolescents, as opposed to children or all-ages audiences.

<i>Far Cry</i> (film) 2008 film by Uwe Boll

Far Cry is a 2008 English-language German action film loosely adapted from the video game of the same name. The film is directed by Uwe Boll and stars Til Schweiger. It was a major box-office bomb and received negative reviews.

Anime-influenced animation is a type of non-Japanese work of animation that is noticeably similar to or inspired by anime. Generally, the term anime refers to a style of animation originating from Japan. As Japanese anime became increasingly popular, Western animation studios began implementing some visual stylizations typical in anime—such as exaggerated facial expressions, "super deformed" versions of characters, and white radical lines appearing on the screen when something shocking happens or when someone screams, etc.

Devil May Cry is an urban fantasy action-adventure game franchise created by Hideki Kamiya. It is primarily developed and published by Capcom. The series centers on the demon hunter Dante and his efforts to thwart various demon invasions of Earth. Its gameplay consists of combat scenarios in which the player must attempt to extend long chains of attacks, avoiding damage and exhibiting stylized combat by varying their attacks; this combat, along with time and the number of items collected and used, are considered in grading the player's performance.

Far Cry is an anthology franchise of first-person shooter games, all of which have been published by Ubisoft. The first game, Far Cry, was developed by Crytek to premiere their CryEngine software, and released in March 2004. Subsequently, Ubisoft obtained the rights to the franchise and the bulk of the development is handled by Ubisoft Montreal with assistance from other Ubisoft satellite studios. The following games in the series have used a Ubisoft-modified version of the CryEngine, the Dunia Engine, allowing for open world gameplay. In the present, the franchise consists of six mainline games, a standalone expansion, and several spin-offs; additionally, the first game, initially developed for Microsoft Windows, saw a number of ports to video game consoles, which changed several elements and are therefore considered standalone releases.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rob Letterman</span> American film director

Robert Thomas Letterman is an American film director and screenwriter. He made his directorial debut as co-director of the animated comedy film Shark Tale (2004), for which he received a nomination for the Annie Award for Writing in a Feature Production. He then co-directed the animated science fiction comedy film Monsters vs. Aliens (2009).

Powerhouse Animation Studios, Inc. is an American animation studio based in Austin, Texas. It was founded in April 2001 with a subsidiary called Powerhouse Animation LLC, established in the summer of 2014. The company develops and produces traditional 2D animation, motion comics, motion graphics, art assets, digital paint, illustration for television series, motion pictures, video game cinemas, commercials, advertising campaigns, educational properties, and entertainment companies.

<i>Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon</i> 2013 video game

Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon is a 2013 first-person shooter game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. It is a standalone expansion to Far Cry 3 and the seventh overall installment in the Far Cry franchise. Blood Dragon is a retro-futuristic parody of 1980s action films, cartoons and video games, and takes place on an open world island. Players assume the role of military cyborg Sergeant Rex "Power" Colt. Gameplay is largely similar to Far Cry 3, though several systems from the base game were simplified or removed, and it introduces the titular Blood Dragon, a massive dinosaur that fires lasers from its eyes and can be lured to attack enemy garrisons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adi Shankar</span> American producer

Aditya Shankar is an Indian-American film producer, screenwriter, film director, television program creator, television showrunner, and occasional actor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ubisoft Film & Television</span> Film and television production company

Ubisoft Film & Television is a French-American film and television production company and a subsidiary of video game publisher Ubisoft based in Montreuil and Los Angeles. The company was founded on 2011, and is in charge of producing films and television shows based on Ubisoft franchises and inspired by Ubisoft's worlds and gaming culture.

<i>Castlevania</i> (TV series) American adult animated series

Castlevania is an American adult animated dark fantasy action television series created and written by Warren Ellis for Netflix, and is produced by Frederator Studios's Kevin Kolde and Fred Seibert and Shankar Animation's Adi Shankar. Based on the Japanese video game series of the same name by Konami, the first two seasons adapt the 1989 entry Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse and follow Trevor Belmont, Alucard and Sypha Belnades as they defend the nation of Wallachia from Dracula and his minions. Additionally, characters and elements from the 2005 entry Castlevania: Curse of Darkness are featured beginning in the second season, and Alucard's backstory is drawn from the 1997 entry Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. The art style is heavily influenced by Japanese animation and Ayami Kojima's artwork.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Netflix Animation</span> American animation studio

Netflix Animation is an American animation studio and a subsidiary of Netflix, Inc. It was founded in March 2018. The studio primarily produces and develops animated programs and feature films hosted on the Netflix streaming service.

Devil May Cry, also known as Adi Shankar's Devil May Cry, is an upcoming adult animated urban fantasy action television series created by Adi Shankar and based on the Japanese video game franchise of the same name by Capcom. Produced by Studio Mir in South Korea, the series is scheduled for an April 2025 release on Netflix.

The Guardians of Justice is a live-action/adult animated mixed media superhero television series created, directed, written, and executive produced by Adi Shankar. The series is a Bootleg Universe production and a satire of DC Comics and the Justice League starring WWE Hall of Famer Diamond Dallas Page as Knight Hawk, a parody of an older grizzled Batman. The series was released on Netflix on March 1, 2022.

<i>Castlevania: Nocturne</i> Netflix animated series based on Castlevania

Castlevania: Nocturne is an American adult animated television series created and written by Clive Bradley and led by producer Kevin Kolde for Netflix. A sequel to the Castlevania animated series, it is based on the video game series of the same name by Konami and adapted from the 1993 entry Castlevania: Rondo of Blood and its 1997 sequel Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Set in 1792, during the French Revolution, it follows Richter Belmont, a descendant of the Belmont family fighting against vampires and night creatures. The series stars Edward Bluemel, Thuso Mbedu, Pixie Davies, Richard Dormer, Sydney James Harcourt, Nastassja Kinski, Zahn McClarnon, Aaron Neil, Sophie Skelton, Elarica Johnson, Franka Potente and Iain Glen in the voice cast.

<i>Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix</i> 2023 television series

Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix is a French–American adult animated television series produced by Ubisoft Film & Television, Bobbypills, and Bootleg Universe. It is inspired by the 2013 video game Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, while amalgamating elements and characters from several other Ubisoft franchises. Created by Adi Shankar, the series was released on October 19, 2023 on Netflix and received generally positive reviews from critics.

References

  1. Gilman, Greg (August 8, 2013). "How 'Dredd' Producer Adi Shankar's Marvel Bootlegs Are Building a Buzzy Fanboy Brand". The Wrap. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
  2. Eisenberg, Eric (2012). "Thomas Jane Returns As Frank Castle In Short Film Punisher: Dirty Laundry". Cinema Blend. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  3. CHITWOOD, ADAM (27 October 2014). "Watch the Entire JUDGE DREDD: SUPERFIEND Miniseries Online Now". Collider.
  4. Conover, Stuart (12 September 2018). "Adi Shankar Reminisces About Why He Made His 'Power Rangers' Fan Film". sciencefiction.com.
  5. NEMIROFF, PERRI (3 March 2015). "Producer Adi Shankar Unveils Animated Bootleg Short JAMES BOND: IN SERVICE OF NOTHING". Collider.
  6. Price, Jason (20 March 2018). "Mr Rogers a War Hero Adi Shankar Unleashes a New Chapter in His Bootleg Universe".
  7. McWhertor, Michael (19 June 2019). "Castlevania producer's 'Bootleg Universe' reimagines Pokémon as dark, ugly, and violent". Polygon.
  8. Narcisse, Evan (August 2, 2017). "The Animation Studio That Made Castlevania Explains Why It Was a Dream Project". io9 . Gizmodo . Retrieved April 7, 2019.
  9. Hill, Jacob (8 February 2017). "Netflix Quietly Announces Castlevania Series For 2017". CBR.com. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  10. Pereira, Chris (May 24, 2017). "Watch The First Trailer For Netflix's Castlevania Show; Release Date Announced". GameSpot . Archived from the original on June 26, 2017. Retrieved May 24, 2017.
  11. Elfring, Matt (March 5, 2020). "Here's What's New to Netflix in March 2020: Castlevania Season 3, More Movies, TV Shows, and Originals". GameSpot . Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  12. "Netflix Announces Castlevania Season 4". Anime. Retrieved 2020-03-27.
  13. Frye, Patrick (May 11, 2021). "Castlevania 'Season 5′ sequel confirmed by Netflix, Warren Ellis' involvement discussed in new interview". Monsters and Critics. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  14. "Netflix Unveils Castlevania Animated Show's Spinoff Series Castlevania: Nocturne". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2022-06-10.
  15. Griffin, David (November 16, 2018). "Devil May Cry Series Joins Castlevania In New Multiverse From Adi Shankar". IGN . Retrieved April 7, 2019.
  16. Valentine, Evan (November 5, 2021). "Netflix's Devil May Cry Anime Will Be "Multiple Seasons". ComicBook.com. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  17. McWhertor, Michael (November 11, 2023). "Netflix shows off its new Devil May Cry anime at Geeked Week". Polygon . Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  18. Rayna, Leo (September 19, 2024). "Netflix Reveals Explosive Debut Teaser Trailer for Capcom's New Devil May Cry Anime Series". Comic Book Resources . Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  19. "Adi Shankar and The Guardians of Justice (Will Save You!) from Normal Television". pastemagazine.com. 2021-11-05. Retrieved 2021-11-18.
  20. "Adi Shankar's 'The Guardians of Justice': Coming to Netflix in March 2022". What's on Netflix. February 8, 2022.
  21. "'Guardians of Justice' Netflix Review: Stream It or Skip It?" . Retrieved 2022-03-09.
  22. "The Guardians of Justice on Netflix is a masterpiece of awesomeness". Winter is Coming. 2022-03-02. Retrieved 2022-03-09.
  23. "Guardians Of Justice Season 1 Review". GameRant . 2022-03-01. Retrieved 2022-03-09.
  24. James, Tito W. (2022-03-03). "Visual Vandalism– Adi Shankar's 'The Guardians of Justice' Reviewed". COMICON. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  25. Nath, Nikita (March 2022). "The Guardians of Justice review: Refreshingly unique take on superhero universe by Adi Shankar". www.sportskeeda.com. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  26. Sen, Raja (2022-03-11). "Review: The Guardians of Justice deconstructs the superhero myth". Mintlounge. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
  27. Wilson, Jonathan (2022-03-01). "The Guardians of Justice review – a bizarre blend of ideas". Ready Steady Cut. Retrieved 2022-03-18.
  28. Shanley, Patrick (2019-10-10). "Ubisoft Planning Animated TV Adaptations of Popular Game Franchises (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2021-11-15.
  29. "Netflix Announces Far Cry Blood Dragon Spinoff Animated Series". GameSpot. Retrieved 2021-11-15.
  30. Milligan, Mercedes (September 27, 2023). "Netflix Slates 'Devil May Cry' Anime, Teases 'Blue Eye Samurai,' 'Captain Laserhawk' & 'Sonic Prime' S3". Animation Magazine . Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  31. "Exclusive: Chris Cornell Talks Writing Music for MACHINE GUN PREACHER, His Career, Soundgarden, Touring, Johnny Cash, Video Games and Much More". Collider.com. September 30, 2011. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  32. "The Grey (2012)". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved February 20, 2024.
  33. "Killing Them Softly". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango . Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  34. "Broken City". Time Out . 26 February 2013. Archived from the original on 29 January 2021.
  35. Croll, Ben (September 15, 2014). "L'Etrange 2014: THE VOICES Speaks To Voters At Festival's End". Screen Anarchy . Retrieved October 1, 2017.
  36. "22e édition du Festival International du Film Fantastique de Gérardmer" (PDF). Festival international du film fantastique de Gérardmer . Archived from the original (PDF) on February 2, 2015. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
  37. Ricci, Kimberly (1 April 2020). "Ryan Reynolds Is Pondering One Of His Most Grueling Films During These Self-Isolating Times". Uproxx .
  38. Reynolds, Ryan (31 March 2020). "One of my favorite movies I've ever done. Never really got its day in court, but man, it's weird and fun and beautiful. #TheVoices". @VancityReynolds.
  39. 1 2 3 "Watch: Liam Neeson Takes 'A Walk Among The Tombstones' In Trailer For Action Thriller". IndieWire. May 29, 2014. Archived from the original on January 24, 2021. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
  40. "A Walk Among the Tombstones - Movie Page". UPHE. March 8, 2015. Archived from the original on February 17, 2019. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
  41. "Why Liam Neeson Movies Are A Guaranteed Success At The Box Office". Business Insider. Archived from the original on March 6, 2019. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  42. "A Walk Among the Tombstones". Fandango. Archived from the original on March 6, 2019. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
  43. Telegraph reporters (March 3, 2014). "Oscars winners 2014: the full list – Telegraph" . The Daily Telegraph . London. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved March 12, 2014.
  44. Adams, Ryan (December 18, 2013). "Las Vegas Film Critics Awards". Awards Daily. Retrieved December 18, 2013.
  45. "Toronto: 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' Captures Audience Award". The Hollywood Reporter , September 17, 2017.
  46. Spangler, Todd. "YouTube Red Acquires ‘Bodied’ Battle-Rap Parody Film From Eminem, Joseph Kahn", Variety , Los Angeles, 17 January 2018. Retrieved on 08 April 2018.
  47. "'You can never tell a film will become a cult while filming it". dtnext.in. July 9, 2023. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  48. "The 100 best films of the 21st century". theguardian.com. September 13, 2019. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  49. Skrebels, Joe (July 5, 2017). "ASSASSIN'S CREED ANIME ANNOUNCED BY CASTLEVANIA NETFLIX PRODUCER". IGN. Archived from the original on July 5, 2017. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
  50. pm, Adele AnkersUpdated: 20 Jul 2021 4:31 pmPosted: 20 Jul 2021 4:15 (20 July 2021), Castlevania TV Producer Making a PUBG Animated Show - IGN , retrieved 2021-11-15{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  51. Patches, Matt (March 28, 2019). "Hyper Light Drifter TV series in the works from creator Alx Preston and Castlevania's Adi Shankar". Polygon . Retrieved April 9, 2019.