AI-focused entertainment company Wonder Studios has signed a distribution agreement with Foundation Distribution to take films from online creators onto connected TV services, starting with the second season of its short-film anthology Beyond the Loop.
The agreement creates a further distribution route for filmmakers who have developed audiences online, with AI-native productions leading the slate and live-action and hybrid projects also planned. The companies say the agreement will bring the films to connected TV platforms including Roku, Samsung TV and Amazon.
Individual films will be offered as standalone titles rather than packaged into an always-on FAST channel, allowing viewers to discover them alongside other films and series in streaming catalogues.
The first project covered by the agreement, Beyond the Loop season two, has already been released on YouTube and Wonder TV. Its filmmakers include Grammy-nominated artist Jidenna, making his directorial debut; Kavan the Kid, whose AI shorts have generated more than 100 million views; and BAFTA-winning editor Hal Watmough, who has since joined Wonder as head of post.
Wonder says Beyond the Loop has attracted 14.8 million combined views across platforms to date. Season two’s executive producers include AI and creative technology companies CapCut, ElevenLabs, OpenArt and invideo.
The anthology forms part of Wonder’s approach to developing original IP, backing filmmakers to produce shorts that could subsequently become features or series. The company says its ownership framework gives filmmakers a stake in the stories they create.
Sarah Craig, president at Foundation Distribution, said: “We’ve seen firsthand over the years that bringing online creator content to connected TV doesn’t dilute existing audiences – it amplifies them by meeting viewers wherever they watch. When used thoughtfully to complement traditional storytelling, AI tools open up immense creative possibilities – allowing indie filmmakers to produce elevated, cost-effective work that belongs across every major streaming platform alongside traditional film.”
Following Beyond the Loop, Wonder plans to bring further projects into the agreement from filmmakers within its community and others who have built substantial online followings. The emphasis will be on longer-form films and series, with new commissions planned alongside the distribution of existing work.
The deal extends Wonder’s model beyond online audience development into television distribution, as the company seeks to turn digital-first filmmaking into a pipeline for longer-form IP. Justin Hackney, co-founder and chief creative officer of Wonder Studios, said: “Substance over algorithm has been our north star from day one. Online, a great film can vanish in a single scroll. In the living room, it gets to be what it always was: a film, chosen and watched from beginning to end. That’s the respect true storytellers earn, and it’s what this deal gives them.”
Founded in 2025 by Hackney and CEO Xavier Collins, Wonder combines original production, commercial work, a talent marketplace and a filmmaking community. The company has raised $15 million from investors including Atomico, LocalGlobe, Blackbird and Adobe Ventures.
Image shows Kita, a film by Jidenna that is part of Beyond The Loop season 2
