Passion Paris frames the ADN partnership as a natural creative synergy between animation talent and audience access. MD Caroline Audebert emphasizes their IP development strengths paired with ADN's direct streaming relationship, positioning this as a bold expansion into the booming anime-adjacent market.
Industry insiders know what's really driving this deal: traditional animation orders from broadcasters have plummeted while Korean webtoons and anime continue commanding massive audiences. Passion is pivoting hard to survive—and betting that Western talent can capture some of that 80 million-view magic without losing their artistic edge.
The South Korean webtoon adaptation targets production start at end of 2026, with its title set for announcement on June 24, 2025 during the Annecy Mifa market session 'From China to Global Animation Synergy with Bilibili.' A teaser will debut there. MD Caroline Audebert revealed that 44% of Passion's 18-45 target demographic now watches anime.
Passion Pictures isn't just expanding—it's gambling on webtoon IP as a lifeline while traditional animation financing crumbles. The real test: can French and British animators capture Korean storytelling magic without becoming just another Netflix content farm?
Animation powerhouse Passion Paris is making one of its boldest moves yet, partnering with France-based anime SVOD service Animation Digital Network (ADN) to adapt a high-profile South Korean webtoon that has already racked up 80 million views worldwide. The adult action series—whose title remains under wraps until Wednesday's Annecy Mifa market announcement—marks a significant strategic pivot for the studio behind Netflix's "400 Boys" and Apple TV+'s "Not a Box." MD Caroline Audebert revealed details to Variety on the eve of this year's Annecy Festival, describing a natural synergy between her company's animation expertise and ADN's audience relationships.
"Passion really aims to develop IPs and is very strong on animation talent. ADN has direct access to its audience and knows what it likes," she said. Production is slated to begin at the end of 2026, with the adaptation rendered in anime style—a deliberate creative choice that reflects changing viewer habits.
The numbers behind this deal tell a cautionary tale about the state of traditional animation financing. According to one study cited by Audebert, 44% of Passion's 18-45 target demographic now watches anime. "Its directors have watched anime from near birth.
A lot of Passion's animation talent is inspired by anime," she explained. "The talent will bring a special Western touch to the production, which audiences and streaming services are fine with." The implication is clear: as European tax incentives replace traditional funding sources, studios must chase where audiences already gather—and they're gathering around Korean webtoons and Japanese anime in unprecedented numbers. This ADN co-production represents just one arm of a broader restructuring at Passion Pictures.
The company has merged development operations between its Paris and London studios to maximize financing structures across two countries with "the most muscular production and VFX tax incentives in Europe," as Audebert noted. MD Debbie Crosscup emphasized that the new integrated pipeline enables fluid movement between formats, partners, and funding models depending on where value can be best unlocked. One case in point: "Free Range," developed jointly across both cities using U.K. and French financing structures, was selected for Toulouse's Cartoon Forum 2026.
The webtoon adaptation isn't Passion's first Asian venture—they're already developing "Yojimbot," an anime-adjacent Japanese robot samurai saga based on Sylvain Repos' sci-fi comic published by Dargaud. But this latest deal signals escalating commitment to the Korean content market as streaming services fight tooth-and-nail for IP that can cross cultural boundaries. As Audebert put it: "More and more [in Europe], we will be seeing this kind of anime-adjacent coming from talent here, because it's part of our culture now." Whether that's artistic evolution or creative surrender depends on who you ask—but the 80 million views aren't lying.
