Stephen Christy

Christy was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. He attended the Latin School of Chicago,{{cite web |title=Alumni Visit Campus |url=https://www.latinschool.org/alumni/news-article/~post/alumni-visit-campus-20161215 |website=latinschool.org |date=15 December 2016 |access-date=December 15, 2016}} and then Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts, graduating in 2007 with a degree in film and television production. While at Emerson, he co-founded the literary anthology Thread, which publishes screenplays, plays and lame comic book scripts; produced original content for the Emerson Channel; and interned at Marvel Comics and DC Comics in New York City.Michael Moccio, [https://emertainmentmonthly.org/2013/07/11/interview-with-archaia-entertainment-editor-in-chief-stephen-christy/ “Interview with Archaia Entertainment Editor-in-Chief Stephen Christy,”] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150423105210/http://emertainmentmonthly.com/2013/07/11/interview-with-archaia-entertainment-editor-in-chief-stephen-christy/ |date=2015-04-23 }} Emertainment Monthly, July 11, 2013.

Following graduation, Christy briefly worked in reality television, and then at Devil's Due Publishing, opening a Los Angeles office for the Chicago-based small press publisher. He then moved to Archaia Entertainment, serving as Director of Development for about a year, before being named editor-in-chief of Archaia Entertainment in April 2010, when he was 24 years old. Christy also handled film and television development for the company, overseeing the sale of the film rights for four graphic novels, two each to Fox and Warner Brothers.Mike Fleming Jr, [https://deadline.com/2011/07/fox-buys-graphic-novel-rust-with-aline-brosh-mckenna-to-adapt-147473/ “Fox Buys Graphic Novel ‘Rust’ With Aline Brosh McKenna To Adapt,”] Deadline Hollywood, July 15, 2011.Borys Kit, [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/bolivar-graphic-novel-animation-movie-296886 “Warner Bros Picks Up Graphic Novel ‘Bolivar’ for Animated Movie,”] The Hollywood Reporter, March 5, 2012.Jason Moore, [http://scifimafia.com/2012/03/warner-bros-pictures-to-adapt-archaia-entertainments-lucid/ “Warner Bros. Pictures to Adapt Archaia Entertainment’s Lucid,”] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304064750/http://scifimafia.com/2012/03/warner-bros-pictures-to-adapt-archaia-entertainments-lucid/ |date=2016-03-04 }} SciFi Mafia, March 12, 2012.Borys Kit, [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/devil-wears-prada-writer-adapt-574155 “’Devil Wears Prada’ Writer To Adapt Modern ‘Jane Eyre’ Graphic Novel,”] The Hollywood Reporter, June 24, 2013.

Christy served as editor-in-chief at Archaia until 2013, with notable successes including Tumor, a collaboration with Amazon.com that was released serially on the Kindle prior to its hardcover publication, and was the first graphic novel created specifically for the Kindle;Calvin Reid, [http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/new-titles/adult-announcements/article/380-amazon-archaia-to-release-kindle-graphic-novel.html “Amazon, Archaia To Release Kindle Graphic Novel,”] Publishers Weekly, July 21, 2009. the American English-language re-launch of Shotaro Ishinomori's classic manga Cyborg 009;Toshi Nakamura, [http://kotaku.com/i-love-cyborg-009-and-the-new-graphic-novel-does-not-d-1294296695 “I Love Cyborg 009, and the New Graphic Novel Does Not Disappoint,”] Kotaku, September 12, 2013.Borys Kit, [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/comic-con-2012-cyborg-009-japan-american-comics-346526 “Comic-Con 2012: ‘Cyborg 009’ Coming to American Comics, Movie in Development,”] The Hollywood Reporter, July 9, 2012. and the publication of Jim Henson's A Tale of Sand, a graphic novel adaptation by Ramon Perez, based on an unproduced screenplay by Jim Henson.Andy Khouri, [http://comicsalliance.com/boom-studios-archaia-editors-in-chief-matt-gagnon-stephen-christy-interview/ “Boom! Studios & Archaia Editors-In-Chief Matt Gagnon & Stephen Christy Talk Merger, Creator Deals and Aesthetics,”] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150416193740/http://comicsalliance.com/boom-studios-archaia-editors-in-chief-matt-gagnon-stephen-christy-interview/ |date=2015-04-16 }} ComicsAlliance, July 5, 2013.Alexandra Cheney, [https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970204555904577164980181880626 “Jim Henson’s Earliest Screenplay Gets Graphic Novel Treatment,”] Wall Street Journal, January 16, 2012. In a publishing partnership with The Jim Henson Company, which Christy helped negotiate in 2009, Archaia published numerous graphic novels based on Henson properties, including The Storyteller, The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, The Musical Monsters of Turkey Hollow and Fraggle Rock.James Gartler, [https://www.ew.com/article/2012/01/06/labyrinth-graphic-novel-prequel “’Labyrinth’ graphic novel prequel to answer, ‘Who was the Goblin King?’,”] Entertainment Weekly, January 6, 2012.Jason Sacks, [http://comicsbulletin.com/stephen-christy-archaia-comics-and-their-beautiful-books/ “Stephen Christy: Archaia Comics and their Beautiful Books,”] Comics Bulletin, May 4, 2011.Shaun Manning, [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=21725 “Inside Archaia & Henson’s Partnership,”] Comic Book Resources, June 23, 2009.

During Christy's tenure, Archaia won five Eisner Awards.Borys Kit, [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/boom-studios-expands-exec-lineup-698026 “Boom! Studios Expands Exec Lineup as Company Moves to Fox Lot,”] The Hollywood Reporter, April 21, 2014. In 2011, Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard won for Best Anthology,Andy Khouri, [http://comicsalliance.com/mouse-guard-legends-anthology-preview-stan-sakai-david-petersen-ben-caldwell-archaia/ “New (And Very Lovely) ‘Mouse Guard’ Anthology Arrives in Print Next Week With Stan Sakai, Ben Caldwell & More,”] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150322041626/http://comicsalliance.com/mouse-guard-legends-anthology-preview-stan-sakai-david-petersen-ben-caldwell-archaia/ |date=2015-03-22 }} ComicsAlliance, June 20, 2013. while Return of the Dapper Men won for Best Graphic Album: New.Albert Ching, [http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=50055 “McCann & Lee Acquire ‘Dapper Men’ Rights From Archaia,”] Comic Book Resources, January 2, 2014. In 2012, Tale of Sand won three Eisner Awards, for Best Graphic Album: New, Best Publication Design and Best Penciller/Inker.Hugh Armitage, [http://www.digitalspy.com/comics/news/a393408/eisner-awards-2012-mark-waid-tale-of-sand-dominate.html#~p42WuunOf2vfwW “Eisner Awards 2012: Mark Waid, ‘Tale of Sand’ dominate,”] Digital Spy, July 15, 2012.Calvin Reid, [http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/trade-shows-events/article/53011-archaia-s-jim-henson-s-tale-of-sand-takes-home-three-eisner-awards.html “Archaia’s ‘Jim Henson’s Tale of Sand’ Takes Home Three Eisner Awards,”] Publishers Weekly, July 14, 2012. The graphic novel also won two Harvey Awards and a Joe Shuster Award.

In June 2013, comic book and graphic novel publisher Boom! Studios acquired Archaia Entertainment,Heidi MacDonald, [http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/comics/article/57963-graphic-merger-boom-studios-acquires-archaia-entertainment.html “Boom! Studios Acquires Archaia Entertainment,”] Publishers Weekly, June 24, 2013. creating the largest library of comic book IP outside of Marvel and DC.{{cite web |last1=Fleming |first1=Mike Jr. |title=Netflix Wins Horror Package 'The Unsound' From 'Shazam!' Helmer David F. Sandberg, BOOM! Studios & Skylar James |date=7 November 2019 |url=https://deadline.com/2019/11/david-f-sandberg-the-unsound-netflix-horror-film-shazam-boom-studios-skylar-james-1202780209/ |publisher=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=30 April 2020}} After the acquisition of Archaia, Christy was named president of development of Boom! Studios, overseeing all film, television, web and animation projects in development at the company's four brands: Boom!, Archaia, KaBoom! And Boom! Box.

In October 2013, Boom! Studios signed a first-look feature film deal with 20th Century Fox Studios for all Boom! Imprints, with Christy acting as a producer on the projects.Borys Kit, [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/20th-century-fox-inks-innovative-640042 “20th Century Fox Inks Innovative Deal With Comics Publisher Boom! Studios,”] The Hollywood Reporter, October 2, 2013. In September 2014, Boom! signed a separate broadcast and cable first look television deal with 20th Century Fox TV, with Christy serving as an executive producer on any project developed with the studio.Nellie Andreeva, [https://deadline.com/2014/08/boom-studios-first-look-deal-with-20th-century-fox-tv-822301/ “BOOM! Studios Inks First-Look Deal With 20th Century Fox TV,”] Deadline Hollywood, August 20, 2014.Nellie Andreeva, [https://deadline.com/2014/11/deep-state-the-rinse-series-boom-studios-howard-gordon-fox-1201293377/ “BOOM! Studios Sells Dramas ‘Deep State’ With Howard Gordon & ‘The Rinse’ To Fox,”] Deadline Hollywood, November 24, 2014. In 2017, 20th Century Fox acquired a significant minority stake in Boom! Studios.{{cite web |last1=Busch |first1=Anita |title=Boom! Studios Sells Minority Stake To Fox After Investment Banker Hire |date=15 June 2017 |url=https://deadline.com/2017/06/fox-minority-stake-boom-studios-1201905358/ |publisher=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=30 April 2020}} The stake was absorbed by the Walt Disney Company as part of their acquisition of the 20th Century Fox assets.{{cite web |last1=Kit |first1=Borys |title=Boom!: Disney-Fox Deal Puts Studio in Comic Book Business Again |date=14 December 2017 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/boom-disney-fox-deal-puts-studio-comic-book-business-again-1067791 |publisher=Hollywood Reporter |access-date=30 April 2020}} That first-look deal runs through January 2021.{{cite web |last1=White |first1=Peter |title=Netflix Inks First-Look Deal With 'Mouse Guard' Comic Book Publisher BOOM! Studios |date=13 April 2020 |url=https://deadline.com/2020/04/netflix-boom-studios-first-look-deal-mouse-guard-1202906904/ |access-date=30 April 2020}}

Christy was set to produce Mouse Guard with Matt Reeves, a $170 million CGI motion-capture fantasy film based on the graphic novels. The film was greenlit by 20th Century Fox and was to be directed by Wes Ball and set to star Idris Elba, Andy Serkis, and Thomas Brodie-Sangster. With over $25 million spent by Fox, production was halted by Disney two weeks before its scheduled start in April 2019, as a result of Fox’s merger with Disney a month earlier.{{cite web |last1=Fleming |first1=Mike Jr. |title='Mouse Guard' Halted Two Weeks From Production Start; Casualty Of Disney Merger? |date=18 April 2019 |url=https://deadline.com/2019/04/mouse-guard-halted-disney-fox-two-weeks-from-production-start-idris-elba-andy-serkis-sonoya-mizuno-1202598047/ |publisher=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=30 April 2020}}{{cite web |last1=McNary |first1=Dave |title=Idris Elba in Talks to Join Andy Serkis in 'Mouse Guard' |date=22 March 2019 |url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/idris-elba-andy-serkis-mouse-guard-1203170552/ |publisher=Variety |access-date=30 April 2020}}{{cite web |last1=Fleming |first1=Mike Jr. |title=Wes Ball On Mouse House Axing His Passion Pic 'Mouse Guard,' A Casualty Of Fox/Disney Deal |date=28 June 2019 |url=https://deadline.com/2019/06/wes-ball-mouse-guard-cancellation-fox-disney-idris-elba-andy-serkis-1202639106/ |publisher=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=30 April 2020}} A number of other Fox features were cancelled during the same period.{{cite web |last1=Boone |first1=Brian |title=Canceled Fox movies we'll never get to see |date=13 August 2019 |url=https://www.looper.com/161823/canceled-fox-movies-well-never-get-to-see/ |publisher=Looper |access-date=30 April 2020}}

Christy executive produced Just Beyond, a horror-comedy anthology series that aired on Disney+ in 2021. It was created by Seth Grahame-Smith, and based on the Boom! Studios graphic novel by R. L. Stine.{{cite web |title='Just Beyond': Mckenna Grace & Lexi Underwood To Star In Disney+ Anthology Series |url=https://deadline.com/2021/04/just-beyond-mckenna-grace-lexi-underwood-nasim-pedrad-guest-disney-anthology-series-1234733106/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=13 April 2021 |access-date=April 13, 2021}} Christy is executive producing HexVet, an upcoming animated series for Nickelodeon,{{cite web |title=Nickelodeon Greenlights 'HexVet' |url=https://www.awn.com/news/nickelodeon-greenlights-hexvet-animated-series |website=awn.com |access-date=March 25, 2022}} and Butterfly, an upcoming spy thriller series for Amazon Studios with Daniel Dae Kim starring and executive producing.{{cite web |title=Daniel Dae Kim to Star in Spy Thriller Series 'Butterfly' |url=https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/daniel-dae-kim-spy-series-butterfly-amazon-1235516071/ |website=variety.com |date=7 February 2023 |access-date=February 7, 2023}} In 2021, Boom! Studios launched the comic BRZRKR, created and co-written by Keanu Reeves. Two weeks after the launch, Netflix purchased the film rights, and also commissioned a two-season anime series. Christy will produce the adaptations, with Reeves starring in both.{{cite web |title=Keanu Reeves Comic 'BRZRKR' to Become Movie, Anime Series for Netflix |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/keanu-reeves-comic-brzrkr-to-become-movie-anime-series-for-netflix-4154353/ |website=hollywoodreporter.com |date=22 March 2021 |access-date=March 22, 2021}}{{cite web |title=Keanu Reeves Talks 'BRZRKR' Projects |url=https://deadline.com/2022/07/keanu-reeves-comic-con-brzrkr-netflix-1235075397/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=July 22, 2022}}

Christy has sold over 40 film and television projects as a producer, including The Unsound to Netflix with David F. Sandberg producing, Irredeemable to Netflix with Jay-Z producing, Jeymes Samuel directing, and Kemp Powers adapting,{{cite web |last1=Fleming |first1=Mike Jr. |title=20th Century Fox Taps BOOM! Superhero Tale 'Irredeemable'; Adam McKay Helms, Tommy Wirkola Scripting |date=5 May 2016 |url=https://deadline.com/2016/05/irredeemable-movie-adam-mckay-tommy-wirkola-boom-studios-fox-1201749508/ |publisher=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=30 April 2020}}{{cite web |title=Netflix Sets Feature Take Of 'Irredeemable' |url=https://deadline.com/2022/03/netflix-sets-feature-take-of-irredeemable-incorruptible-graphic-novel-series-with-jeymes-samuel-directing-kemp-powers-writing-jay-z-james-lassiter-producing-1234980263/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=17 March 2022 |access-date=March 17, 2022}} Goldie Vance to 20th Century Studios with Rashida Jones writing and directing and Kerry Washington producing,{{cite web |last1=Kilday |first1=Gregg |title=Kerry Washington, Rashida Jones Team on 'Goldie Vance' Film |date=December 2017 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/kerry-washington-rashida-jones-team-goldie-vance-film-1063402 |publisher=Hollywood Reporter |access-date=30 April 2020}} Misfit City to HBO Max, with Hannah Hafey and Kaitlin Smith creating and executive producing,{{cite web |title='Misfit City' Series Based On Graphic Novels In Works At HBO Max |url=https://deadline.com/2021/10/misfit-city-series-graphic-novels-hbo-max-hannah-hafey-kaitlin-smith-boom-studios-1234854958/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=12 October 2021 |access-date=October 12, 2021}} and Something Is Killing the Children to Netflix, created by Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese.{{cite web |last1=Wiseman |first1=Andreas |title=Netflix Re-Ups Overall Deal With 'Dark' Creators, Duo Board James Tynion Comic Series 'Something Is Killing The Children' With Boom! Studios |url=https://deadline.com/2023/02/netflix-dark-1899-creators-new-deal-james-tynion-comic-series-something-killing-children-boom-studios-1235268566/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=23 February 2023 |access-date=February 23, 2023}} In April 2020, it was reported that Boom! Studios signed a first-look deal with Netflix for live-action and animated series. Christy will executive produce all shows developed through the agreement.

Christy has edited or co-edited the following books:

• Sheena: Queen of the Jungle (2007–08)
• Golden Age Sheena: The Best of the Queen of the Jungle (2008)
• Halloween: Nightdance (2008)
• Halloween: 30 Years of Terror (2008)
• Halloween: The First Death of Laurie Strode (2008)
• Rest (2008)
• Spooks (2008)
• Golden Age Sheena: The Best of the Queen of the Jungle Volume 2 (2009)
• United Free Worlds (2009)

• The Devil's Handshake (2009)
• Days Missing (2010)
• Moon Lake (2010)
• Return of the Dapper Men (2010)
• Syndrome (2010)
• Lucid: A Matthew Dee Adventure (2011)
• Mr. Murder Is Dead (2012)
• Tumor (2010)
• An Elegy for Amelia Johnson (2011)
• The Dark Crystal: Creation Myths (2011)
• Jim Henson's Tale of Sand (2011)
• The Dark Crystal: Creation Myths Vol. 2 (2013)
• Cyborg 009 (2013)
• Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal: The Novelization (2014)
• Jim Henson's Labyrinth: The Novelization (2014)
• Jim Henson's The Storyteller: The Novelization (2014)
• Jim Henson's Tale of Sand Screenplay (2014)
• The Joyners in 3D (2014)

{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

• {{IMDb name|2322401}}
• [http://boom-studios.com/ Boom! Studios website]
• [http://archaia.com/ Archaia Entertainment website]
• [http://www.scriptsandscribes.com/stephenchristy/ ScriptsandScribes.com Interview with Stephen Christy]

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Category:1985 births

Category:Living people

Category:Emerson College alumni

Category:Latin School of Chicago alumni

Category:Film people from Chicago

Category:Film people from Los Angeles

Category:American comic book editors

Category:Film producers from California

Category:Archaia Studios Press

Category:Film producers from Illinois