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Adi Shankar's Bootleg Universe Media Group is a media company founded in 2012 by Indian-American producer & television show creator Adi Shankar.
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| Formerly |
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|---|---|
| Company type | Privately held company |
| Industry | Film and television, animation, gaming, comic books |
| Founded | 2012 |
| Founder | Adi Shankar |
| Headquarters | , |
Key people | Adi Shankar |
| Divisions |
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| Subsidiaries |
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Bootleg Universe began as a viral YouTube fan film series delivering unauthorized and subversive takes on established media properties, including Marvel's The Punisher in The Punisher: Dirty Laundry, the disturbingly dark Pokémon finale titled The End of Pokémon, and the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers satire Power/Rangers.
It has since evolved into a comprehensive entertainment entity under a unified creative rubric built on subversion. Today, the company produces a diverse range of content spanning live-action, animation, film, television series, documentaries, and video games.
Notable animation projects include acclaimed and innovative series such as Castlevania, The Guardians of Justice, and Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix. Notable feature film projects include Dredd, The Voices, and The Grey.
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Divisions
- Bootleg Universe - This brand is known for reimagining and remixing popular culture. Bootleg Universe projects like Guardians of Justice and Captain Laserhawk typically feature a more radical and experimental approach. These projects often blend different genres and styles, creating a unique, alternative take on familiar characters, formats, and settings.
- Adi Shankar Animation - The brand focuses on high-quality adaptations of beloved established franchises featuring mature themes, and complex narratives. With projects such as Castlevania and Devil May Cry, Adi Shankar Animation adopts a sophisticated style that seeks to elevate the source material while paying deep respect to the original works.
- Adi Shankar Productions
- Bootleg Software (Gaming)
- Journalism (Documentaries)
Subsidiaries
- The Angry Metal Company - Award winning, auteur driven hand drawn animation studio that specializes in adult oriented animation and gaming. The studio based in Gijón, Spain was founded in 2014 by Shankar, Luis Junquera, and Enol Junquera. Key projects include the short film Judge Dredd: Superfiend, the Gunship music video Dark All Day. and the video game Jay and Silent Bob: Chronic Blunt Punch.
- 1984 Private Defense Contractors - A feature film production and financing operation founded by Shankar, Spencer Silna, and Douglas Saylor. The company focuses on producing and financing elevated action and thriller genre titles from auteurs. Key projects include Joe Carnahan’s The Grey and Marjane Satrapi’s The Voices.
Labels
- Adi Shankar Presents - Projects released include Anurag Kashyap's Hindi language gangster epic Gangs of Wasseypur.
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'One-Shot' short films
Popular Culture Satires Released Under 'The Bootleg Universe.'[1]
- The Punisher: Dirty Laundry (July 15, 2012)
- Live-action short film
- Directed by Phil Joanou[2]
- Written by Chad St. John
- Based on the character Punisher by Marvel Comics
- Thomas Jane reprises his role as Marvel's anti-hero Frank Castle / Punisher from the 2004 film The Punisher.
- Jon Bernthal has stated that the "Dirty Laundry" short film, served as an inspiration for his own portrayal of Frank Castle in the Punisher Netflix series.
- Venom: Truth In Journalism (July 20, 2013)
- Live-action short film
- Directed and written by Joe Lynch
- Based on the character Venom by Marvel Comics
- In a black and white homage to cult Belgian black comedy Man Bites Dog and set in the late 1980s, Ryan Kwanten stars as Spider-Man's nemesis Eddie Brock.
- Judge Dredd: Superfiend (October 27, 2014) [3]
- Animated web series
- Directed and written by Enol and Luis Junquera
- Based on the character Judge Dredd by Rebellion Developments
- Loosely adapted from various Judge Dredd storylines such as The Return of Rico and Boyhood of a Superfiend. Originally as a 6-episode web series published on October 27, 2014, it was later published as a "Director's Cut" short film on January 4, 2016.
- Power/Rangers (February 23, 2015) [4]
- Live-action short film
- Directed by Joseph Kahn
- Written by Joseph Kahn, Dutch Southern and James Van Der Beek
- Based on Power Rangers by Hasbro, Saban Capital Group and Toei Company
- A dark reimagining of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers that explores a timeline where the Rangers lost. Starring James Van Der Beek and Katee Sackhoff.
- James Bond: In Service of Nothing (March 2, 2015) [5]
- Animated short film
- Directed and written by Tyler Gibb
- Based on James Bond by Ian Fleming Publications
- An animated short film in the style of a film animatic, where after 30 years in the agency, James Bond is no longer required for his services leading to his retirement as he tries to adjust himself to a new life in the present.
- Mr. Rogers: A War Hero (March 20, 2018) [6]
- Live-action short film
- Directed and written by Kenlon Clark
- Based on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood by WQED Studios and The Fred Rogers Company
- A "What if?" scenario based on the longstanding rumor where Fred Rogers served in the Vietnam War and based several characters on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood from his wartime comrades.
- The End of Pokémon (April 19, 2019) [7]
- Animated short film
- Directed and written by Enol and Luis Junquera
- Based on Pokémon by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company
- An animated fake trailer for a dark afterward to the Pokémon series in which Ash Ketchum tries to end Pokémon battles after the apparent death of his Pikachu.
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Television series
Series produced under 'Adi Shankar Animation'
- Castlevania (2017–2021)
- When his wife is burned at the stake after being falsely accused of witchcraft, the vampire Count Dracula declares all the people of Wallachia will pay with their lives. He summons an army of demons which overruns the country, causing the people to live lives of fear and distrust. To combat this, the outcast monster hunter Trevor Belmont takes up arms against Dracula's forces, aided by the magician Sypha Belnades and Dracula's dhampir son Alucard.
- The series is based on the video game series by Konami, and is written by Warren Ellis and produced by Frederator Studios, Powerhouse Animation Studios, Shankar Animation, Project 51 Productions and Mua Film.[8] The first season of four 30-minute episodes was released on July 7, 2017.[9] The second season is eight episodes long and was released on October 26, 2018.[10] The ten-episode third season was released on March 5, 2020.[11] The series ended with the release of its fourth season on May 13, 2021.[12]
- Castlevania: Nocturne (2023–present)
- On May 11, 2021, Netflix announced that a new series with a new cast of characters, set in the Castlevania universe, is being planned.[13] The series focuses on Richter Belmont, a descendant of Trevor and Sypha, alongside Maria Renard during the French Revolution.[14]
- Castlevania: Nocturne premiered on Netflix on September 28, 2023. The series received critical acclaim, with praise for its animation, directing, writing, themes, and voice cast, while its pacing and character development drew some criticism. The series focuses on Richter Belmont, Trevor and Sypha's descendant, and Maria Renard, and is set during the French Revolution.
- Devil May Cry (2025)
- A series based on Devil May Cry by Capcom is in post-production, making it the second adaptation of the game after Devil May Cry: The Animated Series.[15] The first season will consist of eight episodes and is scheduled for release in April 2025.[16][17][18]
Series produced under 'Bootleg Universe'
- The Guardians of Justice (2022)
- A seven episode live-action/animated superhero television series that satirizes DC Comics and the Justice League. The series was released on Netflix on March 1, 2022.[19][20]
- Decider recommended the show with a "Stream It" rating, citing the show's "riot of visuals and breathless narrative.[21] Winteriscoming.net praised the show for its "inventive, creative, and fast-paced" approach.[22] GameRant called it a "mixed-media experience that must be seen to be believed."[23] Comicon.com compared the show to early hip hop artists, saying "Just as graffiti will appear as vandalism to some and street art to others The Guardians of Justice will be a polarizing series".[24] Sportskeeda called it "refreshingly unique and made for the present-day audience."[25] Mint Lounge said of the show "Shankar has created something highly original out of something all too familiar."[26] ReadySteadyCut gave it four out of five stars, saying "Any even remotely geek-savvy viewer will delight in picking up every reference".[27]
- Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix (2023)
- In an alternate history 1992 where the United States has become the dystopian technocracy Eden, supersoldier fugitive Dolph Laserhawk leads a covert operations group called the Ghosts under supervision from Supermaxx.
- The series was announced in June 2021. It is inspired by Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon while featuring remixed versions of several prominent Ubisoft properties.[28][29] The first season was released on October 19, 2023 on Netflix.[30]
- On Rotten Tomatoes, the series has an approval rating of 89%. Hayden Mears of IGN gave the show a 9.0 out of 10 'Amazing' score, stating that it is "as brutal as it is heartfelt, Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix never feels robbed of clever ways to mesh an eclectic group of Ubisoft favorites into a single madcap story." The Verge's Charles Pulliam-Moore states that the show "plays like a joyride through Ubisoft's vast library of classic video game IP."
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Feature films
Films produced under '1984 Private Defense Contractors'
- Machine Gun Preacher (2011)
- Starred Gerard Butler and was directed by Marc Forster.
- The film was distributed by Relativity Media.
- It tells the story of Sam Childers, a former gang biker turned preacher, and his efforts to protect, in collaboration with the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), the children of South Sudan from the atrocities of Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).
- Chris Cornell wrote the song "The Keeper" for the film, which he performed on the Late Show with David Letterman and Jimmy Kimmel Live! to promote it.[31]
- The Grey (2012)
- Starred Liam Neeson and was directed by Joe Carnahan.
- The survival thriller was distributed by Lionsgate.
- The film grossed $81 million worldwide.
- On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 80% based on 211 reviews. The site's critical consensus reads, "The Grey is an exciting tale of survival, populated with fleshed-out characters and a surprising philosophical agenda."[32]
- Killing Them Softly (2012)
- Starred Brad Pitt and was directed by Andrew Dominik.
- The gangster drama was distributed by Weinstein Company.
- Based on George V. Higgins' 1974 novel Cogan's Trade, the story follows Jackie Cogan, a hitman who is hired to deal with the aftermath of a Mafia poker game robbery that ruptured the criminal economy; the events are set during the 2008 United States presidential election and financial crisis.
- On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 74% based on 234 reviews. The site's critical consensus reads: "Killing Them Softly is a darkly comic, visceral thriller that doubles as a cautionary tale on capitalism, whose message is delivered with sledgehammer force."[33]
- Broken City (2013)
- Starred Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe, and Catherine Zeta Jones and was directed by Allen Hughes.
- The film was distributed by 20th Century Fox.
- An American neo-noir crime thriller film written by Brian Tucker.[34]
- The Voices (2014)
- The horror comedy starred Ryan Reynolds, was directed by Marjane Satrapi, written by Michael R. Perry, and was distributed by Lionsgate.
- The story follows a man suffering from schizophrenia and trying to maintain secrecy about his hallucinations. While off his medications, the man kills and dismembers his love interest. Later, he hallucinates that the dead woman urges him to kill again in order to provide her with a companion.
- The 20th annual L'Etrange Festival in Paris bestowed two awards on the film: the Canal+ Nouveau Genre Award (the festival's Grand Prize) and the equally prestigious Audience Award.[35] The 2015 Festival International du Film Fantastique de Gérardmer granted two more honors to the film: the Audience Award and the Jury Award.[36]
- In 2020, Reynolds said of the film "One of my favorite movies I've ever done. Never really got its day in court, but man, it's weird and fun and beautiful."[37][38]
- A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014)
- An American neo-noir action thriller film[39][40][41][42] directed and written by Scott Frank, starring Liam Neeson, and based on the 1992 novel of the same name by Lawrence Block.
- The film was distributed by Universal Studios.
- A Walk Among the Tombstones grossed $26 million in the United States and Canada, and $36.1 million in other territories, for a worldwide total gross of $62.1 million, against its $28 million budget.[citation needed]
Films produced under 'Bootleg Universe'
- Dredd (2012)
- A science fiction action film directed by Pete Travis and written and produced by Alex Garland. It is based on the 2000 AD comic strip Judge Dredd and its eponymous character created by John Wagner and Carlos Ezquerra.
- Karl Urban stars as Judge Dredd, a law enforcer given the power of judge, jury and executioner in a vast, dystopic metropolis called Mega-City One that lies in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Dredd and his rookie partner, Judge Anderson (Olivia Thirlby), are forced to bring order to a 200-storey high-rise block of apartments and deal with its resident drug lord, Ma-Ma (Lena Headey).
- Dredd premiered at San Diego Comic-Con on 11 July 2012.[citation needed] It was also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival on 6 September,[citation needed] and at the Fantastic Fest in late September.[citation needed] The film was first theatrically released on 7 September in the UK and on 21 September worldwide.[citation needed] A South African release followed on 28 September.[citation needed]
Films produced under 'Adi Shankar Productions'
- Lone Survivor (2013)
- A biographical war film based on the 2007 nonfiction book of the same name by Marcus Luttrell with Patrick Robinson. Set during the war in Afghanistan, it dramatizes the unsuccessful United States Navy SEALs counter-insurgent mission Operation Red Wings, during which a four-man SEAL reconnaissance and surveillance team was given the task of tracking down the Taliban leader Ahmad Shah.
- The film was written and directed by Peter Berg, and stars Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch, Ben Foster, and Eric Bana.
- Lone Survivor received two Academy Award nominations for Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing, although the film failed to win either; at the 86th Academy Awards, the film lost in both categories to Gravity.[43] In addition to the following list of awards and nominations, the film was named one of the ten best films of 2013 by the Las Vegas Film Critics Society, who also ranked it as the Best Action Film of 2013.[44]
- Bodied (2017)
- An American battle rap comedy-drama film directed by Joseph Kahn, written by Alex Larsen and produced by Eminem and Adi Shankar.[39]
- The film stars Calum Worthy as Adam, a graduate student who becomes a competitive battle rapper after becoming immersed in the scene while working on his graduate thesis on the subject.[39]
- At the Toronto International Film Festival, the film won the Toronto International Film Festival People's Choice Award: Midnight Madness.[45] It also won Fantastic Fest's 2017 Audience Award. In January 2018, YouTube Red announced it had acquired exclusive streaming rights, with a limited theatrical release beginning on November 2, 2018.[46]
- Ick (2024)
- An American monster movie satire film directed by Joseph Kahn, and written by Samuel Laskey, Joseph Kahn, and Dan Koontz.
- The film stars Brandon Routh and Malina Weissman.
- Ick premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, in 2024.
Films produced under 'Adi Shankar Presents'
- Gangs of Wasseypur (2012)
- Indian Hindi-language two-part epic crime film.
- Directed by Anurag Kashyap and written by Kashyap and Zeishan Quadri.
- Has gained a large cult following over the years due to its dark humor, experimental soundtrack, and its raw and realistic filmmaking style, a first for a Bollywood film.[47]
- In 2019, The Guardian listed it 59th on the 100 greatest movies of the 21st century.[48]
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Produced under 'The Angry Metal Company'
- Song: Dark All Day (2018)
- Artist: Gunship
- Album: Dark All Day
- Composer, Writer: Alex Gingell, Alex Westaway, Dan Haigh
Produced under 'Adi Shankar Productions'
- Song: The Thug Song (2016)
- Artist: Bryce Vine w/ Skizz Marquee
- Album: Non-Album Single
- Writer: Bryce Vine & Sir Nolan
Published under 'Bootleg Universe'
- Captain Laserhawk: Mega City Blues (November 8, 2023)
- A prequel to the Netflix original animated series.
- The comic book one-shot was supervised by Adi Shankar, written by Faouz.b, with art by Grelin, and published by Glénat Éditions.
- Captain Laserhawk: Crushing Love (March 12, 2024)
- A prequel to Captain Laserhawk, the Netflix original animated series created by Adi Shankar featuring reimagined characters from Ubisoft's vast library of IP.
- The manga published by Tokyopop was supervised by Adi Shankar, written by GLAAD Media Award nominated writer Ben Kahn, with art by Bayou Kun.
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Produced under 'The Angry Metal Company'
- Jay and Silent Bob: Chronic Blunt Punch (2024)
- Hand drawn, arcade style, side-scrolling beat-em-up with tag-team mechanics, ridiculous irreverent humor, and fast-paced action based on filmmaker Kevin Smith's Jay and Silent Bob IP.
- The game offers a cooperative gameplay element where players can team up in two-player mode.
- The game was produced in partnership with Interabang Entertainment and published by The Mix Games.
- Rugrats: Adventures in Gameland (2024)
- Based on the Nickelodeon animated TV series Rugrats, which originally aired in the 1990s.The series follows the adventures of a group of toddlers, including Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil, who use their imagination to turn everyday situations into grand adventures. The game captures this spirit by having the characters embark on a video game-style adventure within the imaginative context of their world, inspired by their encounter with a commercial for a new video game featuring the character Reptar from the show.
- The game is inspired by classic platformers like Mega Man and Super Mario Bros., featuring puzzle-platforming elements that combine both retro gameplay from the NES era with contemporary design. The game offers a cooperative gameplay element where players can team up in two-player mode.
- The game was produced in partnership with The MIX Games and Wallride, and published by Limited Run Games, the game was released in 2024 across multiple platforms including the NES, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam.
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Adi Shankar Animation
- Untitled Assassin's Creed series
- A series based on Assassin's Creed by Ubisoft is in development.[49]
- Untitled PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds Project
- An animated series based on PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds by Brendan Greene and Krafton is in development.[50]
Bootleg Universe
- Untitled Hyper Light Drifter series
- A series based on Hyper Light Drifter by Playism and Heart Machine is in development.[51]
Bootleg Software
- Untitled Bootleg Universe/Adi Shankar Videogame.
- While promoting Captain Laserhawk, in an interview with Collider, Adi Shankar revealed that he was creative directing a video-game based on an iconic gaming intellectual property.
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