Disney Feb. 16 announced a slate of 10 original productions for its European SVOD operations, including +Star, as part of a plan to bow 50 projects across multiple genres in region by 2024. Content country origins include France, Italy, Germany, Holland and the U.K. +Star is slated to launch on Feb. 23.
French content includes “Oussekine,” a four episode series about the death of a young Muslim student Malik Oussekine in the 1986 that led to nationwide protests. Family comedy “Weekend Family,” fantasy teen series “Parallels,” and “Soprano: Sing or Die,” a documentary about rapper Saïd M’Roumbaba.
Italian crime series “The Good Mothers,” is a mafia-themed production from the woman’s perspective.
Comedy series “Boris,” a spin-off behind-the-scenes show based on drama series “The Eyes of the Heart.”
“The Ignorant Angels” is about the wife who discovers her husband’s affair with another man after he is killed in an auto accident.
German and Dutch productions include “Sam — A Saxon,” the real-life story of Samuel Meffire, East-Germany’s first black police officer. “Sultan City” a fictional series about the mother of a German-Turkish family who realizes she and her daughters have a skill for crime. Finally, “Feyenoord Rotterdam” is a soccer documentary based in Holland.
“Our commissioning strategy showcases our commitment to producing world-class original content, tailored to local markets but with the creative ambition to appeal to audiences across the globe,” Diego Londono, EVP of media networks and content for The Walt Disney Company EMEA, said in a statement.
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Londono said Europe has a global reputation as a creative powerhouse (Netflix and Disney have licensed significant studio production space in the U.K.), which combined with Disney’s legacy storytelling should feed the content pipeline for years.
“Disney+ is the go-to destination for compelling and engaging entertainment in Europe,” Londono said.
In addition to content, Disney named Sofía Fábregas VP of original productions in Spain, and Benjamina Mirnik-Voges VP of original productions in Germany. Both report to Londono and Liam Keelan, VP of original content for The Walt Disney Co. EMEA.
“These first 10 projects embody our ambitious vision for local production,” Keelan said. “Our initial European offering underscores Disney’s regional commitment to outstanding and diverse talent, reflecting our desire to work with the very best storytellers in the industry.”