Meet Wonder: The AI Film Studio Revolutionizing Movie Making with $3M in Funding

Wonder, a London-based creative studio specializing in AI-driven films for entertainment and advertising, has successfully secured $3 million in pre-seed funding led by LocalGlobe.

Key Investors

This funding round also saw participation from notable investors including Blackbird, Mati Staniszewski (cofounder of ElevenLabs), Laura Modiano (head of startups at OpenAI), and Ammaar Reshi (design lead at Google DeepMind). Other prominent figures include S. Leigh Savidge, an Oscar-nominated producer, and Richard Aseme, former head of Paramount in Europe.

Founders Behind Wonder

Wonder was founded by Justin Hackney, a BAFTA-winning filmmaker and former creative director at ElevenLabs, alongside Xavier Collins, founding partner of Lumiere Ventures. Their goal is to merge traditional filmmaking with cutting-edge AI technologies.

Innovative Film Production

Unlike conventional studios, Wonder’s approach allows them to collaborate with artists and companies to create films from scripts. Their team of eight creative producers utilizes various publicly available GenAI models like Midjourney and Runway to generate footage, including both animation and live-action films. Wonder also produces “pure AI films” featuring voiceover actors and enhances traditional videos with special effects.

Cost-Effective Solutions

Aiming to disrupt the industry, Wonder offers a remarkable cost reduction. For instance, a traditional three-minute animated film could cost up to $100,000, whereas Wonder charges only £10,000-£20,000, enabling storytellers to create proof of concepts and series at significantly lower costs.

Environmental Impact

Wonder's method is not just cost-effective but also environmentally friendly. By minimizing travel to various filming locations, they reduce travel-related emissions, particularly for pure AI live-action films.

Revenue Model

Wonder generates revenue by charging independent producers and companies for various services, including:

• Short films (5-7 minutes)
• Brand content (30-90 seconds)
• Trailers and teasers (30-60 seconds)
• Documentary footage (30 minutes)

Additionally, they plan to produce their own feature films in partnership with independent artists, retaining intellectual property rights for licensing to streaming platforms.

Future Plans

With their recent funding, Wonder aims to reinvest into filmmaker collaborations and enhance their AI tools to automate workflows, aspiring to create a “Pixar 2.0”.

Wonder is currently collaborating with ElevenLabs on an undisclosed project, further solidifying its position in the AI filmmaking landscape.