Starz announced that is has renewed the popular, movie parody web series “How It Should Have Ended” (HISHE) for a second season and will expand the HISHE franchise into the video game genre with a new web series, “How It Should Have Ended: Video Games.” The new series will be produced and distributed under a limited exclusive distribution agreement with Machinima, Inc. for release on Machinima.com’s online video entertainment network for videogamers. HISHE is a series of online video spoofs that parody the endings of popular films and iconic television series.
Launching today, How It Should Have Ended: Halo is the first HISHE: Video Games property on the Machinima.com network. HISHE: Video Games will have the same animated look and feel as the popular, award-winning flagship HISHE web series, and will focus on parodies of plots and characters from best-selling and iconic game franchises. The Machinima.com network generates more than 50 million monthly unique users and more than 500 million monthly video views.
Under terms of the agreement with Machinima, Inc., the HISHE: Video Games episodes will have an exclusive, five-week online run across Machinima.com’s content network, and will then reside alongside other HISHE videos on the HISHE homepage and its dedicated YouTube channel. Machinima will provide its videogames expertise in creating storylines and scripts, and promote the series to its massive global audience.
“How It Should Have Ended has been a real success story for Starz Digital Media, reaching millions of viewers each month. We are very pleased to renew the franchise for a second season and expand into the videogame genre, working with Machinima in creating a second web series,” said Marc DeBevoise, Starz Media’s senior vice president, digital media, business development and strategy and lead executive for Starz Digital Media. “HISHE’s success is a great example of how Starz’ innovative approach combines our robust digital distribution capabilities with passionate creators, such as Daniel Baxter and Tina Alexander.”
“Our ability to activate significant audience engagement around content we know will resonate with videogamers, makes this partnership a natural fit,” said Sanjay Sharma, Machinima, Inc.’s senior vice president, strategy and business development. “We’re excited to bring innovative new content, such as HISHE: Video Games, to our 50+ million fans worldwide.”
How It Should Have Ended was the winner of top honors for “Best Animated Web Series” at the 2010 Streamy Awards. Co-created by producer, animator and writer Daniel Baxter and his friend Tommy Watson, their first webisode was a spoof on The Matrix. Joined by producer/writer/critic Tina Alexander, the team launched www.howitshouldhaveended.com in July 2005, and has created more than 30 videos and approximately 100 million views to-date. Since partnering with Starz Digital Media in 2009, HISHE has produced a new episode each month, including 2012, Avatar, The Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, Twilight, and “Lost.”
