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She started out in a college dorm room (well, technically that was 2,700 years ago, but we’ll get to that later), amassed a multi-million dollar army on TikTok, and landed a real-world record deal.
Now Hollywood is calling.
epicThe Musical Tale of Homer Odysseygets the cinematic treatment thanks to Jerry Bruckheimer.
Bruckheimer, the huge producer behind Top Gun and Pirates of the Caribbean Movies, has partnered with Jorge Rivera-Herrans, the creator, composer, songwriter, producer and performer behind the viral sensation, and Atlantic Music Group president Kevin Weaver to produce an animated musical adaptation of the epic saga. Chad Oman of Jerry Bruckheimer Films will also produce.
The project is in its early stages, and is scheduled to go into studios and live stream presentations by CAA, which represents Bruckheimer, possibly as early as next week. The project will be Bruckheimer’s first foray into animation but not into the world of music. Many of his films have been musical in nature and part of pop culture soundtracks, harking back to classic films of the 1980s. Fast dance.
The timing couldn’t be better as Homer is suddenly hot in Hollywood. Christopher Nolan is preparing to retell the film Odyssey With the all-star live-action feature opening on July 17, it’s already generating buzz that it could be one of the biggest films of the year. Along with a frenetic following epic This tale is perhaps at the peak of its recognition since the ancient Greek poet first began telling it in Toga in the 8th century BC.
Rivera-Herran started epic as his ambitious senior thesis at the University of Notre Dame. Things took off when, during the pandemic, he began posting his creative process on TikTok in 2021, then began releasing epics as musicals starting in 2022. His self-released EPs began hitting No. 1. One place on iTunes and then not. 1 on the soundtrack charts, where at one point epic It occupied nine of the top ten lists.
The serialized musical format, which reimagines the classic tale of a war hero’s gods and monsters’ decades-long journey home to his wife and son through an immersive modern lens, has struck a chord with millennials and Gen-Zers, who have been caught up in the influences of musicals, anime and video games. They even participated in casting all over the world. Fans have also created animations to go with the songs, showcasing a range of styles and genres.
More than four billion global streams and more than seven billion short views later, what started as viral social content has evolved into a global phenomenon, redefining how music, storytelling, and audience interaction intersect at scale.
The music industry came after him, with every label courting him in 2023, despite Rivera Herranz turning down rich offers. That is, until he signed with Weaver Atlantic, who spent two years courting the twenty-something. Weaver, whose three-decade career at the company has seen him lead blockbuster soundtrack projects including Barbie album, Greatest Showmanand Suicide Squad: The AlbumHelp guide epic From the digital sea to the shores of the real world, with physical products and merchandising, generating millions of dollars from a passionate fan base.
Bruckheimer’s boarding was facilitated by the fact that Weaver has worked with the producer for the past year f1 album, based on F1Brad Pitt’s racing film that received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture and won for Best Sound. The film has grossed over $634 million worldwide.
Rivera Herran is represented by Jake Phillips of Greenberg Traurig. Weaver is represented by Alan Sachs of Frankfurt Kornet.
