In 2021, Netflix’s League of Legends animated TV show, Arcane, was a huge success for the streaming platform. However, Riot Games, the studio behind LoL, has faced challenges in expanding the game into a larger entertainment franchise. One major issue seems to be a lack of experience, which led Riot Games to pay $5 million to two well-known directors to prevent them from making a League of Legends movie.
A recent report from Variety shed light on Riot Games’ efforts to turn League of Legends into a major Hollywood franchise. Several years ago, the video game studio was collaborating with Anthony and Joe Russo on a movie adaptation of League of Legends. The Russo brothers are renowned for their work on Marvel’s Avengers sequels, Infinity War and Endgame. According to Variety, Riot decided to change course in terms of the creative direction of the project, resulting in the Russo brothers receiving $5 million to step away from the movie due to a poorly negotiated contract.
Representatives for the Russos and Riot declined to comment on the failed movie project when approached by Variety. Riot’s co-founder and chief product officer, Marc Merril, emphasized that the company remains dedicated to producing TV and movies, despite facing challenges. Merril stated that Riot’s vision for entertainment has not changed, but the company has adjusted its expectations and timelines based on their learning experiences. He acknowledged that creating quality content takes more time than initially anticipated, prompting Riot to recalibrate its development strategies and team objectives accordingly.
When asked about the reported $250 million budget for the first two seasons of Arcane, Merril neither confirmed nor denied the figure but expressed satisfaction with the investment, emphasizing the importance of delivering content that resonates with the audience. With the second season of Arcane set to premiere on November 9, marking the conclusion of the series, observers are curious to see if Riot has honed its skills in producing TV and movies, or if there will be a significant gap before the next major project.