Stampede Ventures and Wattpad WEBTOON Studios Announce “Chasing Red” with Casting Currently Underway
Jessika Borsiczky is Set to Direct
LOS ANGELES AND TORONTO- November 29, 2023 - Stampede Ventures, a global media company, announced today they are currently casting for the YA romance webnovel, “Chasing Red,” with Wattpad WEBTOON Studios, the fan-driven global entertainment and publishing arm for Wattpad and WEBTOON, set as a co-producer for the feature. The feature is based on the popular Wattpad webnovel of the same name written by Isabelle Ronin. Jessika Borsiczky (“Sex/Life,” “UnREAL”) is set to direct from a screenplay by Lauren Schacher.
The Wattpad title has over 260 million reads and is the #2 English language story overall on the platform following Anna Todd’s “After” sensation. The webnovel has been published in print in seven languages and adapted into a WEBTOON webcomic with over 6.9M views and new chapters debuting weekly.
The film adaptation follows straight-A student Veronica, who refuses to be college heartthrob Caleb’s next “conquest,” even after a chance encounter sparks an undeniable attraction between them. But with nowhere to stay and on the run from a recent tragedy, Veronica finds herself in need of Caleb’s help, despite the secrets of their pasts threatening to tear them apart.
“We are thrilled to be making a movie from Isabelle’s wildly popular book series. Chasing Red has a passionate global fandom, with over 260 million reads online. With the incredibly talented Jessika Borsiczky, we’re going to make a sexy and vibrant film bringing Red and Caleb into real life from the page!” said Jon Berg of Stampede Ventures.
“‘Chasing Red’ has been extraordinarily popular on Wattpad for years, so the fact that we were able to adapt it first into a WEBTOON webcomic and now into a live-action film is a perfect example of our mission to help our creators like Isabelle build franchises and fandoms across formats,” said David Madden, Head of Global Entertainment at Wattpad WEBTOON Studios. “We’re thrilled to work with the excellent producing team at Stampede Ventures, and Jessika is both an old friend and a sensitive and passionate director. Romance on screens has never been bigger, and this adaptation will be exactly what romance lovers are clamoring for.”
Stampede Ventures’ Greg Silverman and Jon Berg will produce alongside Wattpad WEBTOON Studios’ Aron Levitz and Lindsey Weems Ramey. Executive Producers include Gideon Yu, Chris Bosco, Mike Tadross, and Grant Torre from Stampede Ventures and David Madden from Wattpad WEBTOON Studios.
Jessika Borsiczky is a writer, director, and showrunner best known for directing the Netflix series “Sex/Life” starring Sarah Shahi, Lifetime’s “UnREAL” starring Shiri Appleby, Constance Zimmer, and Craig Bierko, and Showtime’s “House of Lies” starring Don Cheadle and Kristen Bell. Borsiczky is represented by A3 Artists Agency, Rick Lefitz, and Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner & Klein.
Stampede Ventures' recently released films include the young adult feature, “Pink Skies Ahead,” starring Mary J. Blige and Jessica Barden, acquired by MTV Studios. Their upcoming film releases include Lionsgate’s heartfelt “Ordinary Angels” starring Hilary Swank and Alan Ritchson coming to theaters this February and female-driven “Space Cadet” starring Emma Roberts, Poppy Liu, Gabrielle Union, Tom Hopper, and Sebastian Yatra which will be released next year on Amazon Prime International. Film titles currently in production include Anderson .Paak’s directorial debut with the music-inclined “K-POPS!.” They have over 80 projects throughout various stages of development.
Wattpad WEBTOON Studios currently has more than 100 projects in development or production around the world, including some of the most unique and exciting genre fare in romance, fantasy, and more. Select upcoming projects include Rachel Smythe’s 1.5 billion-viewed WEBTOON sensation “Lore Olympus” with The Jim Henson Company; “Love Advice from the Great Duke of a Hell” with Imagine Entertainment; “HAWK” with MCU screenwriter Christopher Yost; “Float” starring Robbie Amell and Andrea Bang with Lionsgate, Collective Pictures, and Brightlight Pictures; and Deanna Cameron’s webnovel thriller “What Happened That Night,” adapted by Academy Award-nominated “Children of Men'' screenwriter David Arata.