Variety, a publication specializing in film and television, released an article about Arcane, the adaptation of the popular MOBA game League of Legends, sharing several intriguing details.

The production of the show, including marketing, cost $250 million, making it the most expensive animated series in history. The first season's development alone required $80 million, while the second season’s cost neared $100 million. Media sources reported that the high expenses resulted partly from frequent budget overruns, which were due in part to delays in story development. The adaptation’s creators started work on the continuation even before the script was fully finished.

Riot Games, whose franchise inspired Arcane, allocated $60 million from its own budget for the first season’s marketing. Reportedly, this was significantly more than Netflix's investment. Experts estimate that much less was spent on marketing for the second season, though the exact amount remains unknown.

A League of Legends feature film is also in development, led by Christian Linke, one of the producers of the story about sisters Vi and Jinx. The show’s creators haven’t ruled out working on additional projects in the League universe.

According to Variety, in 2020 Riot was already working on a film based on the franchise, bringing in Anthony and Joe Russo, known for several Avengers installments. A shift in Riot’s creative direction later led to the cancellation of the film, with the Russo brothers receiving $5 million in compensation.

Riot Games co-founder Marc Merrill declined to confirm Variety's information regarding Arcane's budget. However, he stated the company is more than satisfied with the investment to create a show that is worthy of their audience’s time.

Main image: riotgames.com

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