Onyx Collective - A New Hulu Content Brand For Creators of Color & Underrepresented Voices
Dana Walden, chairman of Entertainment, Walt Disney Television, announced Onyx Collective, a new content brand on Hulu designed to curate a slate of premium entertainment by creators of color and underrepresented voices. Onyx Collective will be led by Tara Duncan, who has been spearheading this effort since it was announced last year, while also continuing her role as president of Freeform. Onyx Collective is a reflection of Disney General Entertainment's commitment to inclusive storytelling from creators of color that resonate in the U.S. and around the globe. Hulu will serve as a primary home for Onyx Collective titles, though the roster of creators under the Onyx Collective brand will have access to all Disney platforms. Select titles will also be available internationally on Disney+ as part of the Star general entertainment offering.
"Our industry is immeasurably enriched by the incredible talents of emerging and established creators of color. Launching Onyx Collective allows us to be the best partners to those creators, providing them with the support they need to do their best work," said Walden. "Tara Duncan is a gifted executive with fantastic instincts. With her leading this talented team, we have the opportunity to tell transformative stories that authentically represent our audience and are essential to our success."
Duncan said: "We're building a home where creators of color are inspired, empowered and have unparalleled access to reach audiences around the world. This artist-first approach will make Onyx Collective synonymous with entertaining, brave and bold ideas told from a distinct point of view. I'm humbled by the opportunity and all of the possibilities."
The recently acquired documentary, "Summer of Soul (...or, When the Revolution Could Not be Televised)," is the first official project under the Onyx Collective brand. The winner of both the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at Sundance Film Festival will be released theatrically by Searchlight Pictures and will begin streaming on Hulu in the U.S. on July 2, 2021. The film will also stream internationally through the Star offering on Disney+ on a date to be confirmed. Additionally, produced by Oprah Winfrey and Lionsgate, the groundbreaking "The 1619 Project," based on materials from The New York Times Magazine and Nikole Hannah-Jones's acclaimed work by the same name, will launch on Hulu on a date yet to be announced.
Onyx Collective will also be home to prolific creators including the recently announced overall deal with writer, comedian Natasha Rothwell ("Insecure," "SNL"). Additionally, all non-Marvel titles produced by Ryan Coogler's Proximity ("Judas and the Black Messiah," "Black Panther") will also be shepherded by Duncan under the Onyx Collective brand.
About Disney General Entertainment Content: Disney General Entertainment Content (DGE) is a collection of renowned content brands at The Walt Disney Company creating original entertainment and news programming for the company's streaming platforms and its cable and broadcast networks. The collection – including 20th Television, ABC Signature, ABC Entertainment, ABC News, Disney Branded Television, Freeform, FX, Hulu Originals, National Geographic and Onyx Collective – develops, produces, curates and markets groundbreaking programming from dynamic storytellers. DGE is focused primarily on creating content for the company's streaming platforms Disney+, Hulu and Star, and branded networks including ABC, Disney Channel, Freeform, FX and National Geographic. During the 2019-2020 season, the group produced the No. 1 scripted series across 10 different networks and garnered a combined total of 273 Emmy Award nominations across daytime, primetime and news segments.
About Hulu: Hulu is the leading premium streaming service offering live and on-demand TV and movies, with and without commercials, both in and outside the home. As part of Disney's Media and Entertainment Distribution segment, Hulu is the only service that gives viewers instant access to current shows from every major U.S. broadcast network; libraries of hit TV series and films; and acclaimed Hulu Originals like Emmy® and Golden Globe® Award-winning series "The Handmaid's Tale" and "The Act"; Golden Globe Award-winning, Emmy Award-nominated and Peabody-winning series "Ramy"; and Emmy Award-nominated series "Pen15" alongside hit series "Little Fires Everywhere" from Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington, "Normal People," "The Great," "Hillary" and "Solar Opposites"; Oscar® and Emmy-nominated documentary film "Minding the Gap," Golden Globe-Award winning and Oscar-nominated "The United States vs. Billie Holiday," and critically acclaimed Hulu Original films "Palm Springs," "Run" and "Happiest Season." The service also streams live news, entertainment and sports from 20th Television, The Walt Disney Company, NBCUniversal, CBS Corporation, The CW, Turner Networks, A+E Networks and Discovery Networks – available all in one place. Upcoming Original releases include true-crime-inspired comedy "Only Murders in the Building" starring Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez, and the book-to-screen adaptation of "Nine Perfect Strangers" starring Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy.