Disney+ Orders New Comedy Series “DAD”
Disney is looking to continue to build out its international original lineup for Disney+ by picking up a brand new comedy-drama series called “DAD”, which is about grown-up siblings whose lives are changed forever when their father is accused of murder.
This new series is being created by A24, and Disney gave the project a straight-to-series order after a competitive auction with BBC, ITV, Sky and others. Disney has worked with A24 on many shows, including “Ramy” and the upcoming FX series, “The Marriage Plot”.
“DAD” follows Sammy, Ned and Jess, whose lives are irreversibly changed when their father is accused of a historic murder committed during their childhood. They are forced back together to uncover the secrets buried deep within their family’s past and, in doing so, must confront the harsh and often uncomfortably hilarious realities of the present.
Lee Mason, Disney+ EMEA’s VP of scripted, said in a statement to Deadline regarding the new show:
“DAD is bold, brilliantly original series that takes a dark and emotionally complex premise and turns it into something deeply compassionate, surprising and sharply funny. At its heart, this is a story about family, identity and the unsettling question of how well we can ever really know the people who shape us. We are excited to work with Clem and the brilliant team at A24 to bring this unique story to Disney+ audiences,”
No details on the cast have been announced, but it will be branded as a Hulu Original, similar to shows such as “Rivals”.
“DAD” was commissioned by Angela Jain, Head of Content, Disney+ EMEA, and Mason. It will be produced by A24 with Clem Garritty working on the show as the writer and creator.
Roger’s Take: Disney+ needs more original content, especially set in the UK, as this not only appeals to the British audience but can also translate easily around the globe. While Disney has a framework of studios like FX Productions and 20th Television in the United States, internationally, Disney needs to work with other production companies, which is a big help to studios like A24, to get the funding for a new show. Hopefully, it won’t be too long until we see “DAD” arrive on Disney+, but expect it to be a year or more away from hitting our screens.
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