Company will produce original audio-first horror franchises from Stewart St John, creator of YA thriller Origins Unknown, the 2021 Webby Award Official Honoree for Best Family and Kids Podcast series

LOS ANGELES, CA., May 6, 2022 — Wonkybot Studios, the award-winning independent content company and podcast network known for creating the best in scripted, cinematic audio shows for kids and families around the world, today announced the launch of the ‘Sinister Universe’, a new audio-first horror network from scribe Stewart St John, creator of Tara Tremendous, Spooky Troop and the teen thriller Origins Unknown, a Webby Award Honoree for Best Family and Kids Podcasts series.

Sinister Universe, aimed at teens, YA and adults, will be home to St John’s slate of original mystery, thriller and horror fiction podcasts — starting with Haunted Offerings, a horror drama centered around three orphaned teenaged siblings who discover dark forces are luring unsuspecting families to their home town of Burnbury Cove for terrifying purposes. The company has unveiled the Sinister Universe portal along with Haunted Offerings key art and the show’s teaser trailer (in audio and video format) here: https://www.wonkybot.com/sinisteruniverse/

St John will create, write, produce and showrun all the series being developed under the Sinister Universe banner, and executive produce alongside Wonkybot partners Todd Fisher and Michael Plahuta. The trio currently oversee the company’s successful superhero, sci-fi and action adventure podcasts in the recently launched Tremendous Universe, anchored by the wildly successful Tara Tremendous, now in its fourth season. Those podcasts have garnered millions of downloads and built a global fanbase.

Each season of Haunted Offerings, which is set to premiere in August, will revolve around a single mystery that the Burke siblings must solve as they battle supernatural entities, horrifying creatures and unimaginable dark forces.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to explore the dark side of my imagination by creating an immersive audio experience in the world of mystery and horror,” said St John, whose 20-episode audio thriller Origins Unknown continues to generate interest from loyal fans around the world. “I grew up scaring my siblings and friends with terrifying tales, so getting the chance to craft disturbing new stories in the audio format is a dream come true!”

In addition to Haunted Offerings, the company is also developing other horror-themed series from St John and will launch them under the Sinister Universe umbrella over the next two years.  “Stewart is a master storyteller tapped into a never-ending reservoir of ideas,” said Michael Plahuta. “With an audio-first strategy, we can bring the projects to life here at Wonkybot, and identify potential franchises for books, television and film.”

“All of our horror shows are targeted for ages fourteen and up because they’re pretty scary,” said Todd Fisher. “With Stewart’s engaging stories and characters, Michael’s extraordinary sound design, and the combined creative forces of our incredible team, I’m confident that these new podcasts are going to be as immersive and cinematic as everything else we produce.”

About Wonkybot Studios
Formed in 2015 by co-founders Stewart St John, Todd Fisher and Michael Plahuta, Wonkybot Studios is an independent kids and family production and publishing company with a podcast-first strategy. Wonkybot is dedicated to creating entertaining and engaging characters, stories and tunes for kids and family across all media platforms that inspire, uplift and entertain the imagination.