Kickstarter, Lucasfilm alumni launch fandom-focused studio Popular Demand. Published on October 23, 2026 Jon Leland, the former Chief Strategy Officer at Kickstarter, and Ivan Askwith, who previously led digital media at Lucasfilm, have launched Popular Demand, a studio and technology company built around developing and distributing content for existing fandoms. The company will develop, finance, produce, and distribute film, television, publishing, gaming, and live experiences, according to a Variety report. Popular Demand's first major release is "Fucktoys," a dark comedy-drama directed by and starring Annapurna Sriram, with a cast that includes Sadie Scott, Damian Young, Brandon Flynn and François Arnaud. A theatrical release date has not yet been set. Askwith said the studio's approach grew out of the "Fucktoys" project itself. "We started working with Annapurna on 'Fucktoys' because we heard an existing fandom asking what they could do to get the film distributed," he said. "Fans are constantly expressing what they care about, what they want more of and what they're willing to support. Popular Demand exists to take these communities seriously, understand what is driving that passion and work with both artists and fans to bring these projects to life." Leland described the studio's development process as research-driven and fan-financed. "We work alongside creators, producers, IP holders and other partners who are actively developing new projects," he said. "We identify the right fandoms or communities for the project with them, bring in our team of fandom experts to research those audiences and then help shape the development of the project from those insights. For financing, we bring fans and brands into the project early on to finance as much of the project as possible." Founding partners also include Daniel Dominguez, head of creative development, and Jacob Robinson. The company's advisory board includes Kristen Bell, Alex Winter, Image Comics co-founder Todd McFarlane, music producer Ryan Lewis, and Dr. Henry Jenkins, alongside executives from YouTube, Skybound, Artists First and CAA. Investors include TMV and additional private backers. Popular Demand said more projects and creative partnerships will be announced in the coming weeks.

Xlaserlab has launched the X1 LITE on Kickstarter, a compact laser metalworking system designed for home workshops and small-scale fabrication. Weighing 14 kg, the device operates on standard household electricity without modifications. The system features dual operating modes: Pen Mode for precision work like jewellery and repairs, and Torch Mode for welding, cutting, and cleaning. It can cut stainless steel, aluminium, and brass up to 2.5 mm thick and offers laser cleaning coverage of 150 mm width. X1 LITE works with 100V-240V household power and includes on-torch controls for parameter adjustments during operation. The device targets creators, makers, technicians, and small workshops seeking accessible laser metalworking without the space and power demands of traditional industrial systems. The campaign is now live on Kickstarter.

ViewX has launched its Liber and Immer glasses-free 3D displays on Kickstarter, reaching 1,000% of its funding goal within 30 minutes. The campaign subsequently climbed to 1,880% funded. The Los Angeles-based company offers two models: the portable 15.6-inch Liber and the 27-inch Immer. Both feature 4K resolution, high-speed eye tracking, and AI-powered 2D-to-3D conversion without requiring glasses. ViewX is building an ecosystem supporting over 100 games through applications including SpatialGateway and DepthTransformer. The company is collaborating with Tencent Games to expand gaming compatibility. Beyond gaming, ViewX targets professional applications in creative work, presentations, and visualisation. The displays allow users to switch between conventional 2D and spatial 3D viewing. Early-bird rewards remain available on the active Kickstarter campaign.