The Virtual Reality Company Explores Magical New Worlds with VR Animated Series 'Raising a Rukus'

"We've all seen animated stories before, but for the first time, we're actually immersed in this world with the characters," VRC's co-founder and chief creative officer Robert Stromberg tells PEOPLE

Photo: Courtesy of VRC

Virtual Reality is about to get even bigger.

The Virtual Reality Company announced a new, original animated virtual-reality series on Monday called Raising a Rukus.

Raising a Rukus follows two siblings and their mischievous dog Rukus as they travel to different worlds and embark on various magical adventures together.

“We’ve all seen animated stories before, but for the first time, we’re actually immersed in this world with the characters,” VRC’s co-founder and chief creative officer Robert Stromberg tells PEOPLE.

Each episode of the show will last 12 minutes and will feature branched narration, allowing viewers to follow the story from the perspective of the brother and sister.

“The brother and sister get separated and go on a short journey with their own set of obstacles and problems they have to solve,” says Stromberg. “It really adds a unique element. We’re still telling the same story, but it presents the opportunity for even more detail. What they go through individually means something when they come back together.”

Co-founder and CEO Guy Primus adds that when creating Raising a Rukus, one of VRC’s main focus was making it a “universally relatable” story.

“We want to tell stories that are universally relatable and cross cultural boundaries. We know how to make Hollywood films, but what’s really important to us is that the story plays just as well in China as it does here in the United States,” he says.

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And they certainly had a powerful team behind them to make sure their goals were met. Steven Spielberg, who sits on the board of advisors for the VRC, worked as a “creative consultant” on the project.

“As we’re writing the story, he would add his opinions and point us in the right direction,” says Primus. “We showed him each cut of the show and he gave really great feedback. He connected us with people who he thought would help enhance the project.”

“He added his fingerprint of what makes Spielberg, Spielberg and what makes things magical,” adds Stromberg.

Raising a Rukus will premiere in theaters in Canada this spring, and get wider distribution across North America later this summer.

“It will be distributed to audiences around the world over the course of the next several months,” says Primus, adding that you don’t necessarily need VR goggles to view the series. “We are taking this out to theaters to give even more people access to Raising a Rukus.”