IDW Publishing has launched a new division, IDW Entertainment, to fund and develop new television properties based on IDW Publishing’s extensive catalog.  IDW currently has over 300 original properties to mine for this new venture. Entertainment industry veteran David Ozer has been named President of the new division. The announcement was made today by Ted Adams, CEO & Publisher, IDW Publishing.

An accomplished global television executive, David Ozer brings his extensive experience in sales and financing to IDW Entertainment. In his new role, Ozer will work with Adams to identify, develop and oversee brand extensions across IDW Publishing’s portfolio of comics and graphic novels for the global television market. A key focus for the division is the financing, development and production of television series with the goal of securing straight-to-series commitments from networks. Ozer’s background includes executive level roles at Sonar Entertainment, Starz Media/IDT Entertainment and DIC Entertainment.

IDW currently has a number of projects in development as movies and has increased their focus on creator-owned titles which helped launch this new opportunity.

Circle of Confusion, Executive Producer of the hit AMC series The Walking Dead, will oversee packaging and creative development of the division and will executive produce the company’s projects.  Rick Jacobs will continue to run point on these efforts.

The initial focus will be on the development of a slate of properties from the company’s catalog including: Life Undead, to be co-executive produced by Chris Pollack, with showrunner Paul Zbyszewski who wrote the comic book, attached to the project; Brooklyn Animal Control, based on the darkly thrilling comic which was released in March 2013 from writer/director J.T. Petty and artist Stephen Thompson; and V Wars, edited by New York Times best-selling author Jonathan Maberry, for which IDW Entertainment is already in discussions with a soon- to-be-named network.  IDW Entertainment is represented in all areas by CAA.

IDW Publishing already has several active theatrical projects in development.  Lore, from writer T.P. Louise and acclaimed artist Ashley Wood is in development at Warner Bros. with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson set to star in a script written by Corey Goodman and Jeremy Lott.  David Green is set to direct with Mad Chance’s Andrew Lazar and Circle of Confusion’s David Alpert and Rick Jacobs producing.  Barry Sonnenfeld will executive produce.  World War Robot, created by Ashley Wood, is in development at Disney. Jon Spaihts is writing the screenplay with Jerry Bruckheimer producing.  Zombies vs. Robots, created by writer and IDW Publishing’s Chief Creative Officer Chris Ryall and artist Ashley Wood is in development with Sony with Platinum Dunes and Circle of Confusion producing. Adams is an Executive Producer on all three projects.

This is the second major expansion and new venture for the comic book publisher announced this year. Recently they announced IDW Games which will turn many of their popular comic series into board games.