Jason Jones, one of the original architects behind both the Halo and Destiny series, has teamed up with Margaret Stohl, the narrative lead for Destiny 2, to launch an ambitious new transmedia studio named Stone Kite. Both veterans of the gaming industry, Jones and Stohl bring complementary experiences to the venture: Jones helped birth two of the most influential science‑fiction franchises in video‑game history, while Stohl has a multifaceted background that spans video‑games, novel writing, and entrepreneurship. Prior to Stone Kite, Stohl co‑founded 7 Studios with Lewis Paterson—a company that was later acquired by Activision—and she is also the bestselling author of the "Beautiful Creatures" novels.
Stone Kite positions itself as a "world‑building studio" based in Los Angeles, with a clear mission to break down the traditional silos that separate film, television, comics, books, and interactive media. Rather than launching a story in a single format and then retrofitting it for other platforms, the studio invites a global roster of creators from the outset to shape a shared universe together. This collaborative approach is embodied in the studio’s first intellectual property, "One Zero One," which originates from an original manuscript penned by Jones himself. "One Zero One" is set against a backdrop of an escalating global crisis in which humanity finds itself pitted against a rogue legion of AI‑driven robotic soldiers.
The narrative explores themes of technological hubris, the ethics of artificial intelligence, and the resilience of the human spirit when faced with an enemy that is both relentless and seemingly unstoppable. To introduce the world, Stone Kite will debut a four‑part comic‑book series. The first issue, along with subsequent installments, will be released online for free beginning in early 2027, allowing a broad audience to engage with the story without an initial financial barrier.
After the comic run, the studio plans to expand the property into additional formats, including animated series, novels, video games, and possibly live‑action adaptations. The founding team behind Stone Kite brings together a blend of industry heavyweights and seasoned creators. Stephen Wacker, a former senior vice president of media, serves as a strategic advisor, while Lewis Peterson takes on the role of president, overseeing day‑to‑day operations. Matt Johnson, who heads the film and television division, will guide the studio’s visual storytelling, and Jeanine Schaefer, as narrative creative director, ensures that the story world remains cohesive across all media.
Together, they have assembled a network of more than 250 collaborators spanning the entertainment spectrum. Notable names include acclaimed director and producer Jay Roach, comic‑book writer‑artist Christian Ward, illustrator Kyle Lambert—known for his work on high‑profile sci‑fi projects—author Stephen Graham Jones, and screenwriter Akela Cooper, whose credits include genre‑bending television dramas.
Stohl articulated the philosophy driving Stone Kite in a recent interview: "I've spent my career creating books, games, comics, film and television, and I've seen how often the medium that tells the first story ends up defining everything that comes after it. Stone Kite is about breaking down those old media silos.
Instead of starting in one medium and adapting outward, we bring the best global creators from different disciplines into the room from day one to shape the world together." This statement underscores a deliberate shift away from the linear, adaptation‑first model that has dominated franchise development for decades. Jason Jones added a personal anecdote that illustrates the partnership’s origin. He recalled cycling fifteen miles each way along the Lake Michigan shoreline to visit used‑book stores in North Chicago, returning home with a backpack brimming with science‑fiction paperbacks.
"Margie was the first person to believe I could write a book of my own, the first person to read it, and the one person I trusted to help me develop it into epic entertainment that leaves the world a better place," Jones said. Their shared vision is to craft stories that not only entertain but also inspire audiences to contemplate the broader implications of technology, society, and imagination. The launch of Stone Kite arrives at a time when transmedia storytelling is gaining momentum across the entertainment industry. Audiences increasingly expect seamless experiences that span multiple platforms, and studios are looking for ways to deliver cohesive narratives without the disjointed feel that can arise from retrofitting a story into new formats.
By assembling a diverse creative team from the outset, Stone Kite aims to ensure that each medium—whether a comic book, a novel, a video game, or a streaming series—contributes uniquely to the overarching mythos while maintaining internal consistency. Looking ahead, Stone Kite plans to leverage its extensive creator network to explore spin‑offs, interactive experiences, and possibly immersive reality projects that allow fans to step directly into the world of "One Zero One." The studio’s commitment to releasing the initial comic issues for free suggests a willingness to prioritize audience engagement and community building over immediate profit, a strategy that could foster a dedicated fanbase eager to follow the story across future installments.
In summary, the partnership between Jason Jones and Margaret Stohl represents a bold experiment in collaborative world‑building. By rejecting the conventional hierarchy of media adaptation and instead inviting a global chorus of storytellers to co‑author a shared universe from day one, Stone Kite is positioning itself at the forefront of the next generation of transmedia enterprises. Their inaugural project, "One Zero One," promises to deliver a compelling narrative about humanity’s clash with autonomous warfare, while the studio’s broader approach may well redefine how franchises are conceived, developed, and experienced in the years to come.