Walt Disney streamer Disney+ and Dutch public broadcasting system NPO have revealed a collaboration that will bring a Dutch adaptation of the unscripted strategy-based reality series Wolven: It is a list and bed game To the Netherlands. Internationally, the format is known as Werewolves.
The series takes place in a remote forest village, where a group of strangers known as the Villagers compete to win a prize. Hidden among them are the Werewolves, a secret group that plans to eliminate the players one by one and steal the prize.
The format is part of Banijay Entertainment’s third-party portfolio. The company handles adaptations across its international production footprint, which includes the US, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Spain, Portugal, Italy, the Nordics, the Netherlands, Israel, Mexico, Brazil and India.
“The collaboration will mark a new way of working at public broadcasting Wolf “It airs starting August 29 on BNNVARA on NPO 1 and is simulcast on NPO Start and Disney+, with episodes airing weekly,” the partners said on Monday. Wolf It is produced by Banijay Benelux’s SimpelZodiak.
Previously, three seasons of this format were broadcast in France, followed by a run of the hit show in Germany. “The Netherlands is the latest market to adapt the hit series, which fits into a broader European strategy in which Disney+ works closely with free-to-air broadcasters across Europe, from Atresmedia and RTVE in Spain, to ITVX in the UK, Rai in Italy, ARD and ZDF in Germany, and SIC in Portugal.” “This underscores our shared commitment to championing and supporting local storytelling.”
“With this collaboration, we are taking an important step in the way we, as a public broadcaster, aim to work with commercial organisations. Disney is a household name, with stories we all grew up with. For this reason, we strongly believe in working together to reach more people in the Netherlands with our content,” said NPO Executive Board Member Lucian Brouwer.
Karl Holmes, General Manager of Disney+ EMEA, added: “Wolf It promises to be a great show, with plenty of intrigue to keep you guessing. It’s the kind of show you want to watch together, and we’re thrilled to bring it to Disney+ audiences in the Netherlands. By working with NPO, we can help great local shows find new and younger audiences, while giving our customers even more local stories to enjoy.
“We show up,” said Justine Hofmeijer, managing director at SimpelZodiak Wolf To the Netherlands with NPO, and the first deal of its kind with Disney+, represents a huge opportunity. “This format provides an immersive and tense viewing experience aimed at engaging Dutch audiences, and producing from the established hub in France allows us to realize its full cinematic scope.”
Wolf It is a format created by Fary and Panayotis Pascot, owned by Jaad Productions and Presque Prod, and commissioned by Canal+ in France. The format is presented by Peter Dirks and Soundos Al-Ahmadi and is represented globally by StudioCanal and Dreamspark.
Disney+ has done amazing collaborations with public broadcasters across Europe, with Holmes saying at the Enders Conference in London last week: “We want Disney+ to be the best partner for the wider industry. This means using our exceptional reach and brand strength with younger audiences to deliver real value to the organizations we work with. What we offer free-to-air partners is the opportunity to expand their content. They can bring their stories to our younger audiences, while Disney+ customers can discover some of the biggest local stories.”
SimpelZodiak produces a range of premium formats for the domestic and international market, including a long-running adventure reality format Expedite Robinson (Survivor), Good luck guys and Football Island.
