RWBY heads to TV as Viz Media, Gotham Group ink development pact

RWBY was created by Monty Oum

San Francisco-based anime producer Viz Media has signed a strategic partnership with LA-headquartered management and production firm The Gotham Group to bring its hit web series RWBY to television.

Under the agreement, The Gotham Group will also adapt other key anime, manga and graphic novel titles in Viz Media’s library of IP for both TV and film projects.

At the heart of the collaboration is RWBY, an animated franchise created by the late web-based animator Monty Oum. The original web series, produced by Rooster Teeth Animation, ran for nine seasons and 117 episodes on Rooster Teeth’s own website, YouTube and Sony-owned anime streamer Crunchyroll.

It has also been dubbed into Japanese and broadcast by independent station Tokyo MX, in partnership with Warner Bros Japan. Viz Media bought the IP rights to the brand in 2024.

RWBY is set in the fictional world of Remnant, where young people train to become warriors to protect their world from monsters called Grimm. The initials stand for the main characters: Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang.

The Gotham Group’s credits include Percy Jackson & the Olympians (Disney+), Washington Black (Hulu) and The Search for WondLa (Apple).

Brad Woods, president and CEO of Viz Media, said: “From the beginning, our vision for RWBY has been to build a global franchise that connects with fans across every medium.

“We’re excited to take the next step by partnering with The Gotham Group to develop RWBY, alongside our growing portfolio of original graphic novels, for film and television. Together, we look forward to bringing these stories to new audiences around the world.”

Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, founder and CEO of The Gotham Group, added: “We are thrilled to be working with the iconic Viz on RWBY and beyond. Its titles have captivated audiences for decades and Viz has been instrumental in bringing the global phenomena of manga and anime to the US.

“The RWBY franchise is one of the most prolific out there and we’re excited to be a part of bringing new stories to life.”