Wonder Studios raises $12M to build the studio model for the AI era

Wonder Studios, the AI-native entertainment studio, has raised $12 million in seed funding to scale the studio model for a new era of entertainment production.

Wonder operates as an AI-native studio with a three-pillar business model: high-profile commercial work for brands and artists, IP partnerships with content creators, and original content production.

“Wonder is the entertainment studio for the new era," said Xavier Collins, CEO and Co-Founder of Wonder Studios. “At the heart of our vision is combining Hollywood filmmaking excellence with AI-powered creative freedom, empowering both established directors and emerging creators to tell their most ambitious stories.”

Central to Wonder's approach is its curated community of AI-native creators. The Wonder app serves as the essential hub connecting this community with career opportunities, collaborators, and resources. This, combined with Wonder's technology-driven workflows, enables exceptional storytelling talent to unlock the value of their IP and reach worldwide audiences.

Commercial projects and original content at unprecedented speed

Since launching in April 2025, Wonder has moved rapidly from concept to commercial validation. The company generated significant revenue within its first six months through high-profile projects that demonstrate both creative excellence and business viability.

Wonder produced an AI-powered music video for Lewis Capaldi's ‘Something in the Heavens’, created in collaboration with Google DeepMind, YouTube, and Universal Music Group. Featuring tsunamis of water colliding with buildings, entire worlds turning upside down, and characters floating in space, Wonder's use of AI tools was a creative unlock, developing visuals that would have been impossible to shoot traditionally.

Wonder also released its first original production, the ‘Beyond the Loop’ anthology series. Created with ElevenLabs, Freepik, Fal, and Kling AI as executive producers, the series has so far achieved over 1.5 million views. Given its success, Season Two has already been greenlit alongside a global competition to discover emerging AI filmmaking talent via Wonder’s own community platform.

Why Hollywood veterans and AI pioneers are both backing Wonder

Wonder's dual validation, from both Hollywood veterans and AI leaders, reflects its unique market position. Entertainment investors recognise Wonder as a studio that puts craft and storytelling at its core, whilst technology investors are excited by the company's ability to orchestrate complex AI tool chains into production-ready workflows.

“Wonder captures the magic that happens when Hollywood artistry meets the power of AI, right when the industry is searching for a new model” said Ben Blume, Partner at Atomico. "Xavier and Justin have the rare combination of marketplace and community building experience, creative brilliance, and technical execution capability needed to create the entertainment studio for the next generation. Their incredible traction validates that the market is ready for their unique approach."

The funding from this round will be used to double Wonder's engineering team, as well as help accelerate Wonder’s strategic push into IP ownership and original content production. The team is already working hard on a number of commercial and original projects for release in 2026, including an upcoming documentary with Emmy Award-winning Campfire Studios – the same production company behind 'Unknown Number: The High School Catfish', 'The Menendez Brothers', and 'America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders'.

"The next decade will define what creativity looks like in the age of AI," said Justin Hackney, CCO and Co-Founder of Wonder Studios. "Our mission is to ensure that this future belongs to the storytellers. Working with leading studios, industry pioneers, and grassroots filmmakers, we're already creating a bridge where technology and artistry grow together. This isn't the end of creativity – it's the beginning of a new creative renaissance."

The round was led by Atomico, alongside existing investors LocalGlobe and Blackbird. Wonder has also secured backing from tech giants Adobe Ventures; entertainment visionaries such as Erik Huggers (Chairman, EveryoneTV and former CEO, Vevo), Stephen Lambert (Owner & CEO, Studio Lambert) and the Sidemen's Upside Ventures; media and marketing leaders including Nigel Morris (former CEO, Dentsu Aegis Network for Americas and EMEA) and Mercuri; and AI pioneers including Joaquín Cuenca Abela (CEO, Freepik). This builds on Wonder’s pre-seed investment, which included Mati Staniszewski (Co-founder, ElevenLabs) among its investors.

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