Jason Jones, one of the original architects behind Bungie's iconic Halo and Destiny series, has teamed up with Margaret Stohl, the narrative director for Destiny 2, to announce the formation of a fresh transmedia studio named Stone Kite. Both Jones and Stohl bring decades of experience in interactive storytelling, game design, and narrative development, and their partnership signals a bold new direction for cross‑platform world‑building. Jones’s résumé reads like a modern gaming legend: after co‑creating the groundbreaking Halo franchise, he helped shape the expansive universe of Destiny, a series celebrated for its deep lore, cooperative gameplay, and persistent online world.
Stohl, meanwhile, has worn many hats in the entertainment industry. She has contributed narrative depth to several high‑profile video games, co‑founded the development house 7 Studios with Lewis Paterson (a studio later absorbed by Activision), and penned the bestselling Beautiful Creatures novels. In Stone Kite, she assumes the role of chief executive officer, steering the company’s creative vision while also continuing her work as an author.
Stone Kite describes itself as a "world‑building studio" based in Los Angeles, and its inaugural intellectual property is titled One Zero One. The concept originates from an original manuscript authored by Jones, and it will debut as a four‑part comic‑book series. One Zero One imagines a near‑future scenario in which humanity finds itself locked in a global confrontation against a renegade legion of AI‑controlled robotic soldiers.
The narrative explores themes of technology run amok, the ethics of artificial intelligence, and the resilience of the human spirit when faced with an enemy that can think, adapt, and strike without fatigue. The first issues of the comic will be made available online for free starting in early 2027, giving readers immediate access to the story while building momentum for subsequent media extensions. After the comic launch, Stone Kite plans to expand One Zero One into additional formats—potentially including a novel, an animated series, a live‑action adaptation, and interactive experiences—leveraging the studio’s transmedia expertise to tell the tale across multiple platforms. The founding team behind Stone Kite brings together a blend of seasoned media executives and creative specialists.
Stephen Wacker, formerly a senior vice president of media, serves as a key advisor, while Lewis Peterson holds the title of president, overseeing business operations. Matt Johnson, the studio’s film and television vice president, will shepherd any screen‑based adaptations, and narrative creative director Jeanine Schaefer will ensure that the story’s core themes remain consistent across formats.
What truly sets Stone Kite apart is its collaborative model. The studio has already enlisted more than 250 creators from across the entertainment spectrum, ranging from acclaimed directors and producers to comic‑book artists and novelists. Notable collaborators include filmmaker and producer Jay Roach, known for his work on political satire and thriller films; comic‑book writer and artist Christian Ward, whose distinctive visual style has graced numerous graphic‑novel projects; illustrator Kyle Lambert, celebrated for his realistic portraiture in both print and digital media; author Stephen Graham Jones, a prolific writer of horror and speculative fiction; and screenwriter Akela Cooper, whose scripts have brought fresh perspectives to genre television.
Stohl articulated the studio’s philosophy 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 approach aims to dissolve the traditional hierarchy where a single medium—often a film or a video game—dictates the direction of a franchise.
By involving writers, artists, directors, and game designers from the outset, Stone Kite hopes to craft a more cohesive, richly layered universe that feels organic regardless of the platform on which a consumer encounters it. Jason Jones added a personal note to the announcement, recalling his early days as a sci‑fi enthusiast: "I used to bike fifteen miles along Lake Michigan to the used bookstores in North Chicago, and bike home again with a backpack full of sci‑fi 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." His anecdote underscores the deep personal connection between the two founders and highlights the collaborative spirit that Stone Kite seeks to foster. In summary, Stone Kite represents a concerted effort to reimagine how stories are conceived, developed, and delivered in the modern media landscape.
By uniting a diverse roster of creators around a single, compelling narrative—One Zero One—the studio aspires to produce a multi‑dimensional experience that resonates with audiences whether they are reading a comic, watching a series, or engaging with an interactive game. The free online release of the comic in 2027 will serve as the first step in a broader rollout, setting the stage for a new era of integrated storytelling where the boundaries between mediums are intentionally blurred, and the story itself becomes the unifying thread across all forms of entertainment.