Smosh the Movie LA Premiere - H 2015
AP Images/InvisionDigital producer Defy Media has signed with WME to expand its film and television footprint.
The company behind YouTube channels Smosh, Screen Junkies, Break and Clevver will look to WME to help package its development slate of original projects for several platforms, including film and television. Defy has also signed a deal with Brett Ratner and James Packer‘s RatPac Entertainment, which is also repped by WME, to develop several projects.
“We’re excited to partner with WME as we further ramp up our IP development and expand our footprint in television, film and other platforms,” said Defy content chief Barry Blumberg. “We’re seeing an increased appetite from our audience for high quality short and long form programming across our digital and OTT platforms and we’re energized by the growing opportunities to bring our content to traditional television and film audiences.”
Defy Media, which was formed in 2013 with the merger of Alloy Media and Break Media, operates a number of comedy, lifestyle and gaming brands. Its most popular YouTube channel is Smosh, a comedy and gaming site from Ian Hecox and Anthony Padilla while the Screen Junkies channel is known for its Honest Trailers web series.
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This summer, Defy teamed with AwesomenessTV to produce and distribute Smosh: The Movie, a feature length film starring Hecox and Padilla alongside several well-known YouTubers. The film was released digitally and debuted at No. 1 on the iTunes comedy chart. Smosh has also struck a deal with YouTube to create one of the first YouTube original series, a comedy about the people who work at a themed restaurant.
Defy’s network generates more than 600 million monthly video views and reaches 125 million viewers. Its YouTube channels have a combined 57 million subscribers and its apps have been downloaded more than 22 million times.
The Lionsgate-backed company has several new shows planned for fall, including men’s fashion series Mantervention.
