Fans of ABS-CBN’s Imortal Saga, that includes hit shows ”Lobo,” “Imortal,” and the currently airing “La Luna Sangre,” will get to experience a whole new adventure via the spinoff “Youtopia,” a web series exclusively available on iWant TV.
The show centers on Ryan, played by former “Pinoy Big Brother” housemate Axel Torres, whose life changes when four out of eight in his barkada mysteriously disappear for three months, only to come back very different. Ryan meets La Luna Sangre’s Tristan (Daniel Padilla) in an online community for vampire-hunters called “Moonchasers” as they both search for answers on encounters with vampires and lobos.
“Youtopia” serves as Ryan’s vlog on “Moonchasers” which tells his and his friends’ story and adventures. As they delve deeper into the world of vampires, Ryan and his friends start to realize that their friends who had disappeared are in fact vampires who were already recruited by their master Sandrino (played by Richard Gutierrez). Co-starring with Axel Torres are actors Kate Alejandrino (“Respeto,” “Baka Bukas,” and “Lila”), Mary Joy Apostol (“Birdshot” and “Unawa”), and newcomers Gabby Padilla, Jal Galang, and Larissa Alivio. The series was directed by Pam Reyes, who also produced “Birdshot,” the Philippines’ official entry into the 2018 Academy Awards.
An original web series produced by ABS-CBN’s iWant TV, “Youtopia” is part of the Moonstone Universe, an online community which allows fans to experience the La Luna Sangre in the digital space. Fans of the “Imortal” series can access the community via moonchasers.ph and interact with each other, as well as the characters of the series by participating in forums, creating blog entries, and sharing videos and photos.
Members can join missions and help Tristan and Ryan by being their Every week will bring a new mission that fans can join as they help Tristan and Ryan find answers and ultimately defeat the vampire Sandrino (played by Richard Gutierrez). The site also delves deeper into the Imortal Trilogy to explore back-stories and details that the show doesn’t reveal on TV.
“iWant TV is the first and only content OTT of its kind in the Philippines. With the evolving digital landscape, we want to be able to offer original local content that’s only available online. ‘Youtopia,’ jumps off from ‘La Luna Sangre,’ and instead of the usual behind-the-scenes footage, we want to be able to offer a whole other storyline anchored on the ‘La Luna Sangre’ universe,” said Anna Rodriguez, head of content for iWant TV.
Along with the Moonchasers site and Youtopia, fans can also join “The Hack.” Available only for ABS-CBN mobile users, it allows fans to be deep cover operatives of the Moonchasers organization. Members of “The Hack” are assigned secret missions that only they can participate in, without divulging their identities to other Moonchasers.
YouTopia premieres on October on iWantTV after “La Luna Sangre” and will be released every Thursday, with weekly missions that fans can join. The first episode will be available for free on iWant TV, while the succeeding episodes will be available for premium access.
ABS-CBN continues to harness technology and innovation as it transitions into an agile digital company with the biggest online presence among all media companies and a growing list of digital properties. The Moonchasers Community comes on the heels of successful online communities like Pinoy Big Brother’s “Online Bahay ni Kuya,” and hit teleserye On The Wings of Love’s “OTWOLista.com.”
To register for a premium account, visit iwantv.com.ph. Simply log-on using your email address or mobile numbers. iWant TV is open to ABS-CBN Mobile, Smart, Sun Cellular, TNT, and PLDT Home subscribers.