Toonami co-creator and Adult Swim senior vice president Jason DeMarco will be taking up the position of SVP of anime and action series/long form at both Warner Bros. Animation (WBA) and Cartoon Network Studios (CNS). However, he will be maintaining his position at Adult Swim.
In his newly created dual role, DeMarco will spearhead WBA and CNS’ expansion into producing anime content. He will also be responsible for identifying and developing projects in the animated action genre to develop and produce series and long form programming for all audiences. Among his first projects, DeMarco will serve as the lead creative executive on The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, the upcoming original anime feature film directed by Kenji Kamiyama and produced by New Line Cinema and WBA.
DeMarco will report to WBA and CNS president Sam Register and Adult Swim president Michael Ouweleen. “Jason is an outstanding executive with a proven track record of successfully partnering with the best anime storytellers and creators and doing so with an unmatched level of enthusiasm,” said Register. “His wealth of knowledge and passion will bring Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios sought after opportunities in the anime and action space.”
Ouweleen commented, “Jason has been a key creative voice at Adult Swim since before it started. We are delighted that he will still be working with us on everything Toonami, and beyond thrilled to share his incredible dedication and expertise with our animation studios.”
DeMarco has been with Adult Swim and Cartoon Network for more than 20 years, beginning as a senior writer-producer and rising through the ranks of the on-air, marketing and promotions teams. He co-created the Toonami programming block and has managed the brand throughout its nearly 25-year history.
“I got into this business because I love action cartoons and storytelling. Being able to work in anime and action development, two areas of animation I care about deeply, is a dream come true. I can’t wait to bring everything I’ve learned from Toonami and Adult Swim to our animation studios,” said DeMarco.
DeMarco is currently overseeing production of Adult Swim’s new original anime series Fena: Pirate Princess, as well as famed Japanese horror franchise Uzumaki, and Blade Runner: Black Lotus which is set to premiere later this year.
Get ready for a lot more anime on Cartoon Network and HBO Max!