Artist Studio, led by Lee Jung Jae, has signed a deal with Britain’s leading production company, Imaginarium Productions, for a global K-pop espionage project, accelerating their push into international markets.
This deal begins a full-scale co-development of the live-action film adaptation of Secret Idol (working title). Secret Idol tells the story of a secret agent who goes undercover as a K-pop trainee, navigating the hyper-competitive world behind the glitz and glam of the stage while taking on a global criminal organization. Combining the reality of the K-pop industry with the tension of teen spy action, the film promises a never-before-seen, genre-blending cinematic universe.
Most notably, Artist Studio and Imaginarium have been collaborating closely, not just on development but also on strategic production planning. Discussions are already underway regarding Hollywood casting, and the team is exploring additional global partners for production and distribution.
Imaginarium Productions was co-founded in 2011 by Andy Serkis—best known for playing Gollum in The Lord of the Rings and Caesar in Planet of the Apes—and Jonathan Cavendish, producer of the Bridget Jones franchise. The studio has built a strong portfolio that includes films like Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle, Next Goal Wins, and The Ritual, as well as series like Netflix’s The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself, Brilliant Minds, and Death and Nightingales. The company is currently preparing The Hunt for Gollum, a Lord of the Rings prequel, with Warner Bros.
Artist Studio, the content arm of Lee Jung Jae’s recently rebranded Artist Group, has emerged as a full-service entertainment company. The studio now handles everything from development and production to distribution and broadcasting under a comprehensive all-in-one system.
“‘Secret Idol’ will be an innovative project that opens up comprehensive possibilities, proving the global expandability of K-content through K-pop,” Artist Studio said in a statement. “Through our collaboration with Imaginarium, we will present content with universality and mass appeal that global audiences can relate to.”
>> Lee Jung Jae’s Artist Studio Producing K-pop Spy Film with Andy Serkis’ Imaginarium
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