The world’s first fan-owned entertainment company, Legion M, took the floor at WonderCon and was involved with several panels, all to celebrate fans and preview its exciting upcoming slate of projects. Coming off the success of their “instant cult-classic film” Mandy, they’ve since announced their “first self-published comic book and feature film project” Girl With No Name, and an original television project, Evermor, with showrunner Andrew Cosby.
Legion M has something for fans with interests in a wide range of genres. With its fast-growing community of more than 75,000 members and 15,000 fan-investors, the entertainment company is currently screening Field Guide to Evil in select theaters (and bringing horror fans together for in-home viewing parties), and is working to help promote Fox Searchlight’s Tolkien by crafting fan viewing experiences for the film’s theatrical run premiering May 10, 2019, and has also joined Kevin Smith’s Jay And Silent Bob Reboot as a financing partner.
We had the opportunity to talk with David Baxter, Legion M’s Vice President of Development, about a few of the entertainment company’s upcoming film, television, and comic book projects, and why Legion M presents a unique opportunity for pop culture fans.
Hidden Remote: How is Legion M uniting fans and what would you say to fans who are thinking about investing and joining the community?
David Baxter: What Legion M is and it’s power is in its community. So, what I would say is, the investment is almost a side issue. You can join without buying shares. What we’ve done in three years, which I am most proud of, is that we have amassed 75,000 creative fans of whatever they love. They all love things and somehow we’ve managed to put them all in the same direction. You’d think it’s impossible; it’s like herding cats. And yet when that group all has a singular vision in terms of we want to support something, we’re going to consume it, but we want to show the world we’re proud and happy to be doing it.
That’s what’s happened — what I didn’t expect to happen. I didn’t know…I had no idea that we’d be where we are now. I mean, we’re working with a studio. We’re promoting a story about JRR Tolkien, one of my heroes. So for me, this…it’s been an incredible experience. I have a job that allows me to travel around the country and speak to fans, hear what they have to say, hear what their creative aspirations are, and encourage them to join because they literally get a shot at having a say in what is made.