Fifteen years after Lucca Comics and Games expanded its reach with a dedicated section for movies and TV, the Italian geek convention held in the medieval Tuscan town of Lucca has cemented itself as a global launching pad for premium scripted fare.
This year, the final season of Netflix’s “Stranger Things” and HBO Max’s “It” prequel “Welcome to Derry,” as well as high-profile products such as “Death Stranding 2: On the Beach,” directed by Japanese video game legend Hideo Kojima, are set to launch in the town known for its perfectly preserved 16th- and 17th-century castle walls.
As announced, the Duffer Brothers, along with Stranger Things stars Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin and Noah Schnapp, will be attending a fan gathering in Lucca on Halloween.
This could be the biggest coup in history at the event, which runs from October 29th to November 29th. 2 – However, last year Lucca Comics hosted an equally excellent “Squid Game” junket. Essentially, this massive convention, attended by more than 200,000 fans, is dedicated to fandom, cosplay, and the entire world of comics, including film and television, and attracts more international attention each time.
Variety spoke with Emanuele Vietina, director of Lucca Comics, and Giovanni Coba, head of Milan-based entertainment marketing company QMI (Coba leads programming for Lucca’s films and TV series), about why they are especially proud of the score for “Stranger Things.”
Emanuele, how important is it to have this Stranger Things fan gathering on Halloween?
Emanuele Vietina: The presence of Stranger Things in Lucca is of high interest for several reasons. Netflix is creating a big story around Lucca. By acquiring (launching) their top content, they can put themselves on par with major capitals of the world, which they can never compete with in terms of population. Similarly, being selected to be part of the so-called ‘Grand Finale’ of Hideo Kojima’s ‘Death Stranding 2: On the Beach’ global tour, which will take us to Tokyo, Hong Kong, Sydney and Los Angeles, is a huge highlight for us. We placed Lucca in a group of cities with a population of several million people. In addition to these cities, there is also Lucca, which has a population of 80,000. Another important aspect of having Kojima in Lucca is that Kojima Productions has certainly revolutionized the world of video games, but also created a point of contact between the language of video games and film.
The Lucca Comics experience has been turned into a film by the multi-hyphenated Manlio Castagna (see separate story). Are you satisfied with the results?
Vietina: There were other films made at the festival, but perhaps not with the same level of ambition. I hope this is indicative of something more important. We have sold the rights to produce one or more films (in Italian costume) of the film “I Wonder” (themed on Lucca Comics) between 2025 and 2030. And I’m glad that it’s being treated not just as content, but as a work of art. That’s great recognition for us. We asked for the one thing we believe Manlio Castagna heeded our call: to use Lucca’s comics and games to tell timeless stories that shape universal values. This is the real benefit of this project, because these stories can be told to children in Manila, Melbourne, Toronto and Stockholm. That’s because everyone plays the same game and everyone lives within the same emotional framework.
Speaking of Lucca, it’s cosplay. What will be the biggest parade of the year?
Vietina: When it comes to parades, the Death Stranding world is clearly the front runner. Inevitably, something big is in store for Death Stranding on November 1st. But so is “Critical Role” (Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game). The genius of Matthew Mercer is that he created a broadcast on Twitch that later became an animated TV show on Amazon Prime. Therefore, the two great gods of gaming and video games, Kojima and Mercer, will undoubtedly receive the most important parade.
Giovanni, how are Lucca’s relationships with US studios and streamers evolving?
Giovanni Cova: We’re still about a 50/50 split in the sense that both studios and streamers are invested in this event. Disney has always been a big player in Lucca and has both sides of it. This year will be a little more Disney+ (with teasers for Twisted Wonderland: The Animated Series and Cat’s Eye), but Disney’s (sci-fi action movie) Predator: Badlands will also be released. So, on the one hand, some studios focus on specific titles depending on the year. And on the other side, there are streamers. Netflix and Prime Video both have a large presence. Prime is, among other things, experimenting with Lucca to launch an unscripted format called The Traitors in Italy. I think this show will do very well because it fits the idea of the game taking place in Lucca. So I’m glad Amazon was bold enough to do this. We are also happy to have Crunchyroll on board as they rarely choose these types of events around the world and truly believe in Lucca. This year, Sky (the Comcast-owned pay TV platform) also had a big presence thanks to ‘Welcome to Derry’. They will make the most of Lucca and will start by screening two of the show’s companion films, “It” and “Chapter Two.” And the world premiere of an episode of the show will be followed by an immersive experience aboard the “Derry Bus,” which transports fans to the mysterious town where the series’ gruesome disappearances occur.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Pictured below, from left to right, Emanuele Vietina and Giovanni Cova.
Provided by: Lucca Comics/
