Thailand's Atta Slam blasts onto the global stage. BAFTA Games Award-winning Igloo Studio advances original Thai IP with international partners as it targets the global anime market PUBLISHED: 16 Jul 2026 at 09:30 Thailand is among the countries renowned for its distinctive cultural identity, reflected in lifestyles across the nation. In 2026, Nat Yoswatananont, Founder and CEO of Igloo Studio, Thailand's leading animation production company and the creator behind Thailand's landmark animated film, The Legend of Muay Thai: 9 Satra, announced a bold leap into an underground sci-fi sport setting, telling a story that can resonate with audiences worldwide through an original Thai protagonist. Following its recognition with Dispatch, the interactive narrative game that earned three BAFTA Games Awards, the UK's and the world's most prestigious entertainment awards, for Best Animation, through its collaboration with US animation game developer AdHoc Studio, Igloo Studio is developing its original IP that underscores its efforts to portray authentically Thai characters to standout as the Southeast Asian character. The recognition also demonstrates the studio's world-class craftsmanship, combining the latest VFX technologies and production techniques used in today's animation industry, including animation, art and design, 3D asset creation, VFX and CFX, rendering, and lighting and compositing. Dispatch recorded more than three million downloads across digital platforms within three months of its release. % buffered Powered by GliaStudios New Kids on the Block As the global anime IP market continues its rapid expansion - estimated to be worth between US$34 billion and US$41.7 billion in 2026 - Atta Slam aims to capture international audiences through a storyline that fuses sports with sci-fi action, while laying the foundation for expansion across multiple territories and platforms. Atta Slam is an original Thai animated feature centred on Lui, a teenage boy whose dreams are shattered after he is blacklisted from the elite Atta Slam Academy. However, a mysterious message invites him to join an underground league, where he discovers he has been recruited into a deadly resistance against the corporation responsible for destroying his family. Striking the right balance between international appeal and authentic Thainess remains a challenge. Igloo Studio, however, is one of the first Thai animation studios to make its mark on the global anime scene by translating Thai culture effectively for global audiences, where local nuances are frequently lost in translation, a strength that has attracted two major partners from Europe. As a leading force in Thailand's animation industry, Igloo Studio has demonstrated its capabilities through a series of high-profile international collaborations. The studio worked with Netflix's anime division on My Daemon, marking the first Thai-Japanese 2.5D anime collaboration. Igloo Studio continues to expand its global footprint through partnerships with Warner Bros. Discovery, Bento Box Atlanta, Mediacorp, Mediawan Kids & Family and Submarine. Charting a Global Course Alongside its collaboration with globally renowned animation producer TOHO Global Inc., Igloo Studio is currently developing the project in partnership with Mediawan Kids & Family, one of Europe's largest distributors of children's content and the company behind Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir, and Submarine, the Dutch studio renowned for producing high-quality animated content. Atta Slam has already been showcased at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France - the world's premier animation festival - and was selected to pitch at Cartoon Forum, Europe's largest co-production and pitching event for animated television series, where Asian productions are still relatively rare. With the animation market expected to be driven by streaming investment and cross-media licensing, and forecast to exceed US$77 billion by 2033, Atta Slam has attracted partners interested in expanding the IP through spin-offs, video games and collectible merchandise. Igloo Studio's exclusive and limited-edition merchandise will also be displayed alongside those of 300 exhibitors and business partners from over 30 countries at Thailand Content Market 2026 which will take place from 20-22 July at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (QSNCC). This world-class event represents a broad range of content and creative industry sectors featuring country pavilions from Korea, China, Japan and ASEAN member states. Organisers expect the event to generate at least THB2 billion in trade value. Later this year, fans will be introduced to a new collaboration with international partners featuring original IPs such as Black Dust and The Tiny Mighty. Together, they reflect Igloo Studio's broader ambition to shift from providing animation services for international clients to building globally recognised Thai-owned intellectual property.

Dana Tafoya-Cameron has been promoted to EVP & Head Of Bento Box Entertainment, while Michelle Huynh is now EVP, Studio Content Operations.