Adi Shankar's Bootleg Universe

Adi Shankar's Bootleg Universe
Formerly
  • Adi Shankar Productions
  • The Adi Shankar Brand
  • The Bootleg Universe
Company typePrivately held company
IndustryFilm and television, animation, gaming, comic books
Founded2012 (2012)
FounderAdi Shankar
Headquarters
Beverly Hills, California
,
United States
Key people
Adi Shankar
Divisions
  • Adi Shankar Animation
  • Adi Shankar Productions
  • Adi Shankar Presents
  • Bootleg Software (Gaming)
  • Bootleg Journalism (Documentaries)
Subsidiaries
  • The Angry Metal Company
  • 1984 Private Defense Contractors

Adi Shankar's Bootleg Universe Media Group is a media company founded in 2012 by Indian-American producer & television show creator Adi Shankar.

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.

Divisions, subsidiaries and labels

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Divisions

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  • 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

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  • 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

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List of short films

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'One-Shot' short films

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Popular Culture Satires Released Under 'The Bootleg Universe.'[1]

List of television works

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Television series

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Series produced under 'Adi Shankar Animation'

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  • 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 (2024)

Series produced under 'Bootleg Universe'

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  • 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.[18][19]
    • Decider recommended the show with a "Stream It" rating, citing the show's "riot of visuals and breathless narrative.[20] Winteriscoming.net praised the show for its "inventive, creative, and fast-paced" approach.[21] GameRant called it a "mixed-media experience that must be seen to be believed."[22] 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".[23] Sportskeeda called it "refreshingly unique and made for the present-day audience."[24] Mint Lounge said of the show "Shankar has created something highly original out of something all too familiar."[25] ReadySteadyCut gave it four out of five stars, saying "Any even remotely geek-savvy viewer will delight in picking up every reference".[26]
  • 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.[27][28] The first season was released on October 19, 2023 on Netflix.[29]
    • 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."

List of film works

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Feature films

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Films produced under '1984 Private Defense Contractors'

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  • 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."[31]
  • 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.[34] The 2015 Festival International du Film Fantastique de Gérardmer granted two more honors to the film: the Audience Award and the Jury Award.[35]
    • 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."[36][37]

Films produced under 'Bootleg Universe'

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Films produced under 'Adi Shankar Productions'

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Films produced under 'Adi Shankar Presents'

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List of music video works

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Produced under 'The Angry Metal Company'

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Produced under 'Adi Shankar Productions'

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  • Song: The Thug Song (2016)

List of publishing works

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Published under 'Bootleg Universe'

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  • 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.

List of gaming works

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Produced under 'The Angry Metal Company'

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  • 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.

Upcoming projects

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Adi Shankar Animation

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Bootleg Universe

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Bootleg Software

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  • 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.

References

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  1. ^ Gilman, Greg (August 8, 2013). "How 'Dredd' Producer Adi Shankar's Marvel Bootlegs Are Building a Buzzy Fanboy Brand". The Wrap. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
  2. ^ Eisenberg, Eric (2012). "Thomas Jane Returns As Frank Castle In Short Film Punisher: Dirty Laundry". Cinema Blend. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  3. ^ CHITWOOD, ADAM (27 October 2014). "Watch the Entire JUDGE DREDD: SUPERFIEND Miniseries Online Now". Collider.
  4. ^ Conover, Stuart (12 September 2018). "Adi Shankar Reminisces About Why He Made His 'Power Rangers' Fan Film". sciencefiction.com.
  5. ^ NEMIROFF, PERRI (3 March 2015). "Producer Adi Shankar Unveils Animated Bootleg Short JAMES BOND: IN SERVICE OF NOTHING". Collider.
  6. ^ Price, Jason (20 March 2018). "Mr Rogers a War Hero Adi Shankar Unleashes a New Chapter in His Bootleg Universe".
  7. ^ ]McWhertor, Michael (19 June 2019). "Castlevania producer's 'Bootleg Universe' reimagines Pokémon as dark, ugly, and violent". Polygon.
  8. ^ Narcisse, Evan (August 2, 2017). "The Animation Studio That Made Castlevania Explains Why It Was a Dream Project". io9. Gizmodo. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
  9. ^ Hill, Jacob (8 February 2017). "Netflix Quietly Announces Castlevania Series For 2017". CBR.com. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
  10. ^ Pereira, Chris (May 24, 2017). "Watch The First Trailer For Netflix's Castlevania Show; Release Date Announced". GameSpot. Archived from the original on June 26, 2017. Retrieved May 24, 2017.
  11. ^ Elfring, Matt (March 5, 2020). "Here's What's New to Netflix in March 2020: Castlevania Season 3, More Movies, TV Shows, and Originals". GameSpot. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  12. ^ "Netflix Announces Castlevania Season 4". Anime. Retrieved 2020-03-27.
  13. ^ Frye, Patrick (May 11, 2021). "Castlevania 'Season 5′ sequel confirmed by Netflix, Warren Ellis' involvement discussed in new interview". Monsters and Critics. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  14. ^ "Netflix Unveils Castlevania Animated Show's Spinoff Series Castlevania: Nocturne". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2022-06-10.
  15. ^ Griffin, David (November 16, 2018). "Devil May Cry Series Joins Castlevania In New Multiverse From Adi Shankar". IGN. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
  16. ^ Valentine, Evan (November 5, 2021). "Netflix's Devil May Cry Anime Will Be "Multiple Seasons". ComicBook.com. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
  17. ^ McWhertor, Michael (November 11, 2023). "Netflix shows off its new Devil May Cry anime at Geeked Week". Polygon. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  18. ^ "Adi Shankar and The Guardians of Justice (Will Save You!) from Normal Television". pastemagazine.com. 2021-11-05. Retrieved 2021-11-18.
  19. ^ "Adi Shankar's 'The Guardians of Justice': Coming to Netflix in March 2022". What's on Netflix. February 8, 2022.
  20. ^ "'Guardians of Justice' Netflix Review: Stream It or Skip It?". Retrieved 2022-03-09.
  21. ^ "The Guardians of Justice on Netflix is a masterpiece of awesomeness". Winter is Coming. 2022-03-02. Retrieved 2022-03-09.
  22. ^ "Guardians Of Justice Season 1 Review". GameRant. 2022-03-01. Retrieved 2022-03-09.
  23. ^ James, Tito W. (2022-03-03). "Visual Vandalism– Adi Shankar's 'The Guardians of Justice' Reviewed". COMICON. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  24. ^ Nath, Nikita (March 2022). "The Guardians of Justice review: Refreshingly unique take on superhero universe by Adi Shankar". www.sportskeeda.com. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  25. ^ Sen, Raja (2022-03-11). "Review: The Guardians of Justice deconstructs the superhero myth". Mintlounge. Retrieved 2022-03-13.
  26. ^ Wilson, Jonathan (2022-03-01). "The Guardians of Justice review – a bizarre blend of ideas". Ready Steady Cut. Retrieved 2022-03-18.
  27. ^ Shanley, Patrick (2019-10-10). "Ubisoft Planning Animated TV Adaptations of Popular Game Franchises (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2021-11-15.
  28. ^ "Netflix Announces Far Cry Blood Dragon Spinoff Animated Series". GameSpot. Retrieved 2021-11-15.
  29. ^ Milligan, Mercedes (September 27, 2023). "Netflix Slates 'Devil May Cry' Anime, Teases 'Blue Eye Samurai,' 'Captain Laserhawk' & 'Sonic Prime' S3". Animation Magazine. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  30. ^ "Exclusive: Chris Cornell Talks Writing Music for MACHINE GUN PREACHER, His Career, Soundgarden, Touring, Johnny Cash, Video Games and Much More". Collider.com. September 30, 2011. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  31. ^ "The Grey (2012)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
  32. ^ "Killing Them Softly". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved October 18, 2022.
  33. ^ "Broken City". Time Out. 26 February 2013. Archived from the original on 29 January 2021.
  34. ^ Croll, Ben (September 15, 2014). "L'Etrange 2014: THE VOICES Speaks To Voters At Festival's End". Screen Anarchy. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
  35. ^ "22e édition du Festival International du Film Fantastique de Gérardmer" (PDF). Festival international du film fantastique de Gérardmer. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 2, 2015. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
  36. ^ Ricci, Kimberly (1 April 2020). "Ryan Reynolds Is Pondering One Of His Most Grueling Films During These Self-Isolating Times". Uproxx.
  37. ^ Reynolds, Ryan (31 March 2020). "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. #TheVoices". @VancityReynolds.
  38. ^ a b c "Watch: Liam Neeson Takes 'A Walk Among The Tombstones' In Trailer For Action Thriller". IndieWire. May 29, 2014. Archived from the original on January 24, 2021. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
  39. ^ "A Walk Among the Tombstones - Movie Page". UPHE. March 8, 2015. Archived from the original on February 17, 2019. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
  40. ^ "Why Liam Neeson Movies Are A Guaranteed Success At The Box Office". Business Insider. Archived from the original on March 6, 2019. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
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  42. ^ Telegraph reporters (March 3, 2014). "Oscars winners 2014: the full list – Telegraph". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on January 12, 2022. Retrieved March 12, 2014.
  43. ^ Adams, Ryan (December 18, 2013). "Las Vegas Film Critics Awards". Awards Daily. Retrieved December 18, 2013.
  44. ^ "Toronto: 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' Captures Audience Award". The Hollywood Reporter, September 17, 2017.
  45. ^ Spangler, Todd. "YouTube Red Acquires ‘Bodied’ Battle-Rap Parody Film From Eminem, Joseph Kahn", Variety, Los Angeles, 17 January 2018. Retrieved on 08 April 2018.
  46. ^ "'You can never tell a film will become a cult while filming it". dtnext.in. July 9, 2023. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  47. ^ "The 100 best films of the 21st century". theguardian.com. September 13, 2019. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
  48. ^ Skrebels, Joe (July 5, 2017). "ASSASSIN'S CREED ANIME ANNOUNCED BY CASTLEVANIA NETFLIX PRODUCER". IGN. Archived from the original on July 5, 2017. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
  49. ^ pm, Adele AnkersUpdated: 20 Jul 2021 4:31 pmPosted: 20 Jul 2021 4:15 (20 July 2021), Castlevania TV Producer Making a PUBG Animated Show - IGN, retrieved 2021-11-15{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  50. ^ Patches, Matt (March 28, 2019). "Hyper Light Drifter TV series in the works from creator Alx Preston and Castlevania's Adi Shankar". Polygon. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
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