Disney has announced a brand new multiyear first-look deal with writer, director and producer Manolo Caro and Woo Films’ co-founders Rafael Ley and Maria Jose Cordova.

Under the terms of the agreement, Caro, Ley, and Cordova will develop new projects for Onyx Collective, which is a premium content brand under Disney Entertainment Television, with programming exclusively available to stream on Hulu in the U.S., Star+ in Latin America and Disney+ in all other territories. Onyx Collective curates globally entertaining stories by creators of color and underrepresented voices, all with a culturally specific point of view.

Tara Duncan, president, Onyx Collective said in a statement:

“Manolo Caro is in a rare class of storytellers who blend heart and humor to reveal the essence of what makes us all human.  He is a proven hit maker, and we’re excited to bring his universal stories to the Hulu audience.”

Manolo Caro added:

“Joining the creative voices at Onyx is not only a commitment to my artistic mission but a critical reflection of my own identity.  I want to tell stories through my particular vision and pop lens and create content that allows me to share with the world what my culture is and what has driven me all the way here.”

Manolo Caro’s background spans writing, producing and directing for film and theater. Among his film credits, which made him the first Mexican director in the top 10 of the Mexican box office for three consecutive years, are titles like “Perfectos Desconocidos” and “La Vida Inmoral de la Pareja Ideal.”

Caro’s debut feature was a film adaptation of “I Don’t Know Whether to Slit My Wrists or Leave Them Long (No Sé Si Cortarme las Venas o Dejármelas Largas),” which he initially wrote and directed for the theater. He followed that up with titles like “Elvira I Will Give You My Life But I’m Using It (te Daría Mi Vida Pero la Estoy Usando)” and “Tales of an Immoral Couple (La Vida Inmoral de la Pareja Ideal).”

Previously, he directed short films, with “Gente bien… atascada” as his most notable title. In TV, Caro as a Latin American showrunner, saw Netflix release “The House of Flowers” in over 190 countries. While under a development deal at Netflix, he created the miniseries “Alguien Tiene que Morir” and the streamer’s first Spanish-speaking musical series, “Sebastián Yatra: Érase una vez (Pero ya no).”

The first season of his latest release, “Sagrada Familia,” starring Najwa Nimri and Alba Flores, debuted on Netflix’s top 10 in over 56 countries. Caro’s other playwright credits include “Sin Cura,” “Un, Dos, Tres por Mi y Todos Mis Amores,” “I Love Romeo and Juliet” and “Nunca es Tarde para Aprender Francés.”

Caro and Woo Films join an extensive roster of prolific creatives bringing their thoughtful narratives to Onyx Collective, including Ryan Coogler, Destin Daniel Cretton, Jason Kim, Joseph Patel, Prentice Penny, Natasha Rothwell, Yara Shahidi and Erika Green Swafford.

What do you think of this multi-year deal?  Let us know on social media!

Roger Palmer

Roger has been a Disney fan since he was a kid and this interest has grown over the years. He has visited Disney Parks around the globe and has a vast collection of Disney movies and collectibles. He is the owner of What's On Disney Plus & DisKingdom. Email: Roger@WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com Twitter: Twitter.com/RogPalmerUK Facebook: Facebook.com/rogpalmeruk

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