Lion Forge Entertainment

Lion Forge Entertainment

Company type	Private
Industry	Film Television Animation
Genre	Kids & family Young adult
Founded	2011
Founder	David Steward II Carl Reed
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	David Steward II (CEO) Stephanie Sperber (President & CCO) Edward Hamati (COO)
Products	Feature films (animation & live-action) Television series (animation & live-action) Consumer products & franchise development
Owner	Polarity
Website	lionforgeentertainment.com

Lion Forge Entertainment (LFE) is an American production studio based in Los Angeles, California. ^[1] It develops and produces live-action and animated films, television series for children, families, and young adults, often emphasizing diverse storytelling and multicultural themes. ^[2]

History

Founding and early success (2011–2020)

Lion Forge was founded in 2011 as Lion Forge Comics in St. Louis, by David Steward II and Carl Reed. ^[3] It operated under the imprint, Comics for Everyone, and developed a diverse library of intellectual property that was later adapted for screen productions. ^[1]

In August 2019, Steward and Reed launched Lion Forge Animation, and its debut credit, Matthew A. Cherry’s short Hair Love , won the 2020 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. ^[4]

Expansion and rename (2021–January 2025)

In July 2022, Lion Forge Animation received its first global series order for Iyanu , a 2-D animated fantasy series approved by Cartoon Network and HBO Max (now Max). ^[5] In March 2023, co-founder Carl Reed departed to form Composition Media, and the company renamed itself as Lion Forge Entertainment; David Steward II remained in his role as CEO, and Edward Hamati continued as COO. Stephanie Sperber, previously an executive at NBCUniversal, was appointed President and chief content officer. ^{[6] [7]}

Projects

Animation

• Hair Love (short, 2019): Lion Forge co-produced Matthew A. Cherry’s short film; won the 2020 Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. ^[2]
• Drawn In (short-form series, 2023): literacy-driven kids’ show created with Nine PBS; won the 2023 Mid-America Emmy for Short Form Content. ^[8]
• Iyanu (series, 2025–present): premiered April 2025 on Cartoon Network/Max; ^[9] Showmax Africa rollout June 2025; ^[10] ITVX U.K. debut July 2025; ^[11] renewed for Season 2 and two companion films. ^[12]
• A Dozen Tough Jobs (feature, TBA): animated retelling of the Hercules’ twelve labors set in 1920s Mississippi; collaboration with George R. R. Martin announced May 2025. ^{[13] [14] [15]}
• Dragon (animated comedy-adventure series, TBA): co-developed with Korean studio Mostapes, following a team managing malfunctioning mechanical dragons. ^{[16] [17]}
• Marley and the Family Band (animated series, TBA): adaptation of Cedella Marley’s 2022 children's book, developed with Polygram Entertainment and the Tuff Gong Collective. ^{[18] [16]}

Live-action

• Best Wishes (film series, TBA): multi-picture adaptation of Sarah Mlynowski’s best-selling Scholastic novels; optioned March 2024, screenplay in progress. ^{[19] [20] [21]}
• Lostlings (YA series, TBA): live-action adaptation of TalesVision’s mystery series with 17 million YouTube views; development deal signed June 2025. ^{[22] [23]}
• Secret Society of Rebel Girls (series, TBA), co-developed with Rebel Girls and DK Publishing, inspired by the Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls brand; announced May 2024. ^{[24] [25] [26]}

Other projects

In addition to long-form programming, Lion Forge Entertainment has co-produced short-form projects such as the Disney+ musical short Rise Up, Sing Out and the animated series Young Love , a spin-off of Hair Love, which premiered on Max in 2022. ^{[27] [28] [29]}

Awards and recognition

Lion Forge’s award run began when its very first animated short, Hair Love, received the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film. ^{[2] [30]} Two years later, the studio’s hometown partnership with Nine PBS yielded Drawn In, which collected a Mid-America Emmy for Outstanding Short Form Content. ^{[8] [31]}

In 2021, Fast Company named Lion Forge Entertainment on its annual list of innovative film and television companies. ^{[32] [33]}

On the ratings front, flagship series Iyanu premiered as the #1 kids’ program on Cartoon Network and entered Max’s Top 10 Kids & Family chart. ^{[34] [10]} The show also debuted on Showmax as the streamer’s most-watched Kids & Family title across 44 African territories. ^{[34] [10]}

References

1. "Comics For Everyone: Interview with Lion Forge CEO Dave Steward II". previewsworld.com.
2. Nesvig, Kara K. (February 10, 2020). ""Hair Love" Scores a Major Win for Representation at the Oscars". Teen Vogue.
3. https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2019/10/31/why-this-st-louis-animation-studio-believes-it.html
4. Tangcay, Jazz (August 14, 2020). "How Lion Forge, the Black-Owned Studio Behind Oscar-Winning 'Hair Love,' Plans to Shake up the World of Animation".
5. Milligan, Mercedes (July 11, 2022). "HBO Max, CN & Lion Forge Power Up 'Iyanu: Child of Wonder'". Animation Magazine.
6. https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2023/03/02/oscar-animation-carl-reed-composition-lion-forge.html
7. Andreeva, Nellie (March 22, 2023). "Stephanie Sperber Named President & CCO Of Lion Forge As Animation Company Expands Into Live-Action".
8. "Drawn In Clinches A 2023 Emmy Award". LazuArts Entertainment.
9. Milligan, Mercedes (February 17, 2025). "'Iyanu' Sets Cartoon Network & Max Premieres with New Launch Trailer". Animation Magazine.
10. Writer, Staff (June 4, 2025). "The number-one series on Cartoon Network is set in Africa". Showmax Stories.
11. Milligan, Mercedes (June 18, 2025). "Lion Forge's 'Iyanu' Sets U.K. Launch for July 3 on ITVX". Animation Magazine.
12. Milligan, Mercedes (May 19, 2025). "Cartoon Network & Max Greenlight 'Iyanu' S2 Plus Two Movies". Animation Magazine.
13. updated, George Marston last (May 21, 2025). "Continuing to do anything but publish The Winds of Winter, Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin is taking on Greek mythology: "We're reimagining a timeless classic"". GamesRadar+.
14. Ford, Lily (May 21, 2025). "George R. R. Martin and Lion Forge to Produce Animated Feature 'A Dozen Tough Jobs' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter .
15. Milligan, Mercedes (May 21, 2025). "George R.R. Martin Teams with Lion Forge for Animated 'A Dozen Tough Jobs' Adaptation". Animation Magazine.
16. Petski, Denise (July 11, 2023). "Lion Forge Entertainment & Nickelodeon Animation Ink First-Look Deal For Series & Features".
17. https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/news/2023/07/11/lion-forge-nickelodeon-paramount-animation-deal.html
18. Milligan, Mercedes (July 11, 2023). "Lion Forge Inks First-Look Animation Deal with Nickelodeon". Animation Magazine.
19. "Best Wishes leaps from page to screen with Lion Forge".
20. Grobar, Matt (March 21, 2024). "Lion Forge Entertainment Taps Eydie Faye To Adapt Sarah Mlynowski's Bestseller 'Best Wishes' For Film".
21. "Best Wishes Film Series in the Works". Kirkus Reviews.
22. "Lion Forge to adapt YouTube series Lostlings".
23. Goldbart, Max (June 26, 2025). "'Iyanu' Studio Lion Forge Adapting Hot YouTube Series 'Lostlings' For TV".
24. "Lion Forge options the TV rights to Rebel Girls' fiction book debut".
25. "Rebel Girls' first fiction series optioned for television". The Bookseller.
26. Kantor, Emma. "DK Announces First Children's Fiction Imprint". PublishersWeekly.com.
27. Steinberg, Brian (February 2, 2022). "Disney, Questlove Launch Short-Form Animated Series 'Rise Up, Sing Out'".
28. "Lion Forge Animation snaps up Stephanie Sperber".
29. Sippell, Margeaux (July 7, 2020). "HBO Max Orders 'Young Love' Animated Series Based on 'Hair Love' Short Film by Matthew A Cherry".
30. Onanuga, Tola (February 25, 2020). "What does Hair Love's Oscar success say about diversity in Hollywood?". The Guardian.
31. "Emmy® Awards - Nominees & Winners".
32. Symons, Gary (January 7, 2025). "Lion Forge: The Studio Forging More Diverse Programming in Animation". The Licensing Letter.
33. "America's Public Television Stations (APTS) Announce Election of Board Officers and Trustees Including Re-Election of PBS SoCal/KCET's Andrew Russell as Chair". PBS SoCal. February 4, 2022.
34. American, Kenya Vaughn | The St Louis (July 7, 2025). "'Iyanu' is number one". St. Louis American.