Jaden And Willow Smith To Produce And Star In New Films From Black-Owned Anime Studio
Jaden and Willow Smith are partnering with Black-owned media company studio N LITE to produce and voice roles in upcoming films. The anime studio, which is based in the US and Tokyo, was founded by Christiano Malik Terry, a creative entrepreneur and filmmaker.
“We are honored to collaborate with Jaden and Willow,” Terry told The Hollywood Reporter. They are pillars of this generation and talented storytellers at the zeitgeist of culture, art, fashion, music, and cinema. I can’t wait for the world to see what we have in store.”
Jaden and Willow’s new roles
Jaden will executive produce and voice a role in Mfinda, which is currently in preproduction. The film, which is inspired by Congolese folklore, comes from N LITE, producer-distributor powerhouse GKIDS (Boy and the Heron), Viola Davis and Julius Tennon’s JuVee Productions, and legendary anime producer Masao Maruyama (Tokyo Godfathers).
Mfinda is hailed as the first anime film created by a Black and Japanese team of producers and animators. Jaden will play the character of Kozo, an ancient spirit warrior who protects humans and spirits of the forest during a time of great conflict in the Kingdom of Kongo, as stated by Terry.
Willow Smith will join N LITE studio on another film: Spirit Detective. Smith will serve as executive producer and voice talent for the horror/thriller anime film, which is inspired by Gullah Geechee folklore.
The Smith family joining the anime world
Jaden and Willow Smith aren’t the only Smith family members joining the anime world.
In July, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Westbrook Inc., a multimedia and entertainment venture company, is entering the anime world through a strategic partnership with the newly formed Studio Azuki.
Studio Azuki, a US-based animation company, is a joint venture between NFT brand Azuki and Japanese firms Comisma Inc. and Xenotoon Inc. The studio aims to merge Web3 technology with anime to create next-gen content for global audiences.
Partnering with Studio Azuki is a decisive step in that direction. “Their creative vision and cultural insight align seamlessly with our global strategy. Together, we’re excited to identify and develop projects that resonate deeply with audiences around the world, blending authentic storytelling with boundary-pushing innovation.”
Image: Getty images
