Hulu Originals & Exclusives Winter 2023 Programming Slate

New date announcements include “Superhot: The Spicy World of Pepper People,” “Love & WWE: Bianca and Montez,” “Life & Beth” Season Two, “Dragons of Wonderhatch,” “We Live Here: The Midwest,” and “Self Reliance”

SERIES

Black Cake
Premiere Date: November 1, 2023 (Three episodes at launch, then one episode weekly)
Finale Date: December 6, 2023
Trailer: HERE

Genre: Drama Series
Season: 1
Episode Count: 8
Synopsis: Based on The New York Times-bestselling book by Charmaine Wilkerson, “Black Cake” is a family drama wrapped in a murder mystery with a diverse cast of characters and a global setting. The story takes place in Jamaica, Italy, Scotland, England and Southern California.  In the late 1960s, a runaway bride named Covey disappears into the surf off the coast of Jamaica and is feared drowned or a fugitive on the run for her husband’s murder. In present day California, a widow named Eleanor Bennett, loses her battle with cancer, leaving her two estranged children, Byron and Benny, a flash drive that holds previously untold stories of her journey from the Caribbean to America. These stories, narrated by Eleanor, shock her children and challenge everything they thought they knew about their family’s origin.
Cast: The series stars Mia Isaac, Adrienne Warren, Chipo Chung, Ashley Thomas, Lashay Anderson, Faith Alabi and Glynn Turman, as well as recurring guest stars Ahmed Eljah, Simon Wan, and Sonita Henry.
Credits: From Charmaine Wilkerson’s best-selling novel “Black Cake,” Marissa Jo Cerar serves as creator, showrunner and executive producer. The series is executive produced by Oprah Winfrey, Aaron Kaplan, Carla Gardini, Brian Morewitz, Charmaine Wilkerson, and Michael Lohmann. “Black Cake” is a Two Drifters, Harpo Films, ABC Signature, and Kapital Entertainment production.
Contacts: Lauren Thorpe Lauren.Thorpe@disney.com; Yasamin Azarakhsh Yasamin.Azarakhsh@disney.com; Emily Leitz Emily.Leitz@disney.com

 

A Murder at the End of the World (FX)
Premiere Date: November 14, 2023 (Two episodes at launch, then one episode weekly)
Finale Date: December 19, 2023
Trailer: HERE

Genre: Limited Series
Episode Count: 7
Synopsis: “A Murder at the End of the World” is a mystery series with a new kind of detective at the helm — a Gen Z amateur sleuth and tech-savvy hacker named “Darby Hart” (Emma Corrin). Darby and eight other guests are invited by a reclusive billionaire (Clive Owen) to participate in a retreat at a remote and dazzling location. When one of the other guests is found dead, Darby must use all of her skills to prove it was murder against a tide of competing interests and before the killer takes another life.
Cast: Emma Corrin, Clive Owen, Harris Dickinson, Brit Marling, Alice Braga, Joan Chen, Raúl Esparza, Jermaine Fowler, Ryan J. Haddad, Pegah Ferydoni, Javed Khan, Louis Cancelmi, Edoardo Ballerini, Britian Seibert, Christopher Gurr, Kellan Tetlow, Daniel Olson and Neal Huff.
Credits:  “A Murder at the End of the World” is created and directed by Brit Marling & Zal Batmanglij. Marling and Batmanglij also executive produced alongside Andrea Sperling (“Transparent”), Melanie Marnich and Nicki Paluga. The seven-episode limited series is produced by FX Productions.
Contacts: Bill Brennan Bill.Brennan@FXNetworks.com; Adrienne D’Amato Adrienne.DAmato@FXNetworks.com; Justin Sutton Justin.Sutton@FXNetworks.com

 

Brawn: The Impossible Formula One Story (U.K. Original)
Premiere Date: November 15, 2023 (All-at-once)
Trailer: HERE

Genre: Unscripted Docu-Series
Season: 1
Episode count: 4
Synopsis: This brand-new unscripted four-part documentary series with Keanu Reeves (“John Wick,” “The Matrix Resurrections”) tells the remarkable story of how, in 2009, competing in the most expensive and technologically advanced racing series on Earth, the impossible happened. An understaffed, underfinanced and independent team won the World Championship – with a team that cost just £1. Go behind the scenes of this Formula 1 fairytale with the people who were there – on the track, in the garage and the boardroom – giving their own thrilling versions of a miraculous year. Expect exclusive access to the F1 archives – much of it previously unseen – from a year that global sport will never forget, with contributions from British F1 driver Jenson Button and Ross Brawn, who led the team to victory.
Narrator: Keanu Reeves
Credits: The series is a North One production developed and produced by showrunner Simon Hammerson and directed by 2022 Broadcast best sports documentary winner Daryl Goodrich. Executive Producers are Keanu Reeves, Sean Doyle and Neil Duncanson.
Contacts: Billy Nilles Billy.Nilles@disney.com; Mitchell Squires Mitchell.Squires@disney.com

 

Drive with Swizz Beatz (Onyx)
Premiere Date: November 16, 2023 (All-at-once)
Trailer: HERE

Genre: Unscripted Docu-Series
Season: 1
Episode Count: 6
Synopsis: In “Drive with Swizz Beatz,” hip-hop legend and car collector Swizz Beatz and son Nasir Dean (also known as Note Marcato) visit car-loving destinations, where they’ll examine the area’s distinctive car culture and bring together two otherwise disparate car clubs over a shared love of all things automotive and an appreciation for what it’s like to beat the odds through sheer drive alone.
Credits: The series is from 51 Minds Entertainment in association with Ty-Ty and Jay Brown Productions, Major TV and Black Drive Originals.
Contact: Jerenny Medrano Jerenny.Medrano@disney.com; Philip Galicia Philip.Galicia@disney.com

 

The Secret Life of Dancing Dogs (ABC News)
Premiere Date: November 17, 2023 (All-at-once)

Genre: Unscripted Docu-Series
Season: 1
Episode Count: 6
Synopsis: “The Secret Life of Dancing Dogs” is a six-part docuseries that follows a pack of handlers and their canine counterparts from all over the globe as each prepares a dog-human duet worthy to compete at the world’s greatest dog show, Crufts, in England. Our heroes leap, pirouette, and hop – hoping the judges will crown them the champion. This is a humorous yet inspirational dog dancing tale that proves there is a star in all of us, sometimes we just need a four-legged friend to let it shine.
Credits: Produced by ABC News Studios. Claire Weinraub and Edward Hambleton are executive producers, Haewon Yom is co-executive producer, and David Sloan is senior executive producer for ABC News Studios. ABC News Studios is led by Mike Kelley, and Reena Mehta is the SVP of Streaming and Digital Content.
Contact: Lauri Hogan Lauri.L.Hogan@abc.com; Sydney Tretter Sydney.Tretter@abc.com

 

Spellbound
Premiere Date: November 20, 2023 (13 episodes, All-at-once)
Trailer: HERE

Genre: Teen Fantasy Series
Season: 1, Part 2
Episode Count: 26
Synopsis: When Cece Parker Jones, a vivacious 15 year old relocates from a small town in the US to France to study at the Paris Opera Ballet School, she’s on top of the world! But things turn upside down when she discovers a book of family spells in the back room of her Aunt Ginger’s apothecary. While snooping through the book, she unknowingly casts the antidote to a protection spell that has been hiding her identity since she was a little girl. Turns out, she comes from a line of powerful witches called the Wizens! And in doing so, she summons her nemesis, the Mystics, who are after her magic. This spit-fire teen must now juggle the pressures of an elite ballet school, learning new techniques she’s never studied before, keeping up with her intense academics, not to mention her new friendships and maybe a cute boy… or two, as well as her incredible ability to activate magic, while keeping this a secret for only her closest friends.
Cast: Hailey Melody Romain as Cece Parker-Jones, Margherita Barbieri as Simone Souter, Abigail O’Regan as Mia Banks, Sam Darius as Jack Ryder, Zac Gabriel Werb as Finn Cassidy, Etienne Moana as Benoît Ducasse, Imogen Mackie Walker as Amy, Gomolémo Tsagaé as Lola, Cameron James King as Adrian, Rik Young as Armando Castillo, Raven Dauda as Ginger Jones, Malou Beauvoir as Lizzie Jones, Charles Baker as Kevin.
Credits: “Spellbound” is created by Jill Girling and Lori Mather. The series is produced by Zoe Carrera-Allaix, Cecile Laurenson and David Michel, with Renaud Mathieu as executive producer. “Spellbound” is a Cottonwood Media production.
Contacts: Billy Nilles Billy.Nilles@disney.com; Mitchell Squires Mitchell.Squires@disney.com

 

The Artful Dodger (Australian Original)
Premiere Date: November 29, 2023
Teaser Trailer: HERE

Genre: Drama Series
Season: 1
Episode count: 8
Synopsis: An irreverent follow up to Dickens’ Oliver Twist exploring the adult double life of Charles Dickens’ famous prince of thieves. Set in 1850’s Australia, in the lively colony of Port Victory, we meet Jack Dawkins, The Artful Dodger, who’s transferred his fast fingers as a pickpocket to the nimble skilled fingers of a surgeon. Dodger’s past returns to haunt him with the arrival of Fagin, luring him back into a world of crime. A greater threat – to Dodger’s heart – is Lady Belle, the Governor’s daughter, determined to become the colony’s first female surgeon. From heists to life-and-death surgeries, from soirées to street violence, this is a tale of reinvention, betrayal, redemption and love with a twist.
Cast: Thomas Brodie-Sangster, David Thewlis, Maia Mitchell, Damon Herriman, Tim Minchin, Miranda Tapsell, Luke Carroll, Kim Gyngell, Vivienne Awosoga, Nicholas Burton, Susie Porter, Damien Garvey, Lucy-Rose Leonard, Jessica De Gouw, Andrea Demetriades.
Credits: Directors: Jeffrey Walker, Corrie Chen, Gracie Otto
Executive Producers: David Maher, David Taylor, Jo Porter
Production Company: Sony Pictures Television, Beach Road Pictures, Curio Pictures
Contacts: Billy Nilles Billy.Nilles@disney.com; Mitchell Squires Mitchell.Squires@disney.com

 

Wild Crime: Blood Mountain (ABC News)
Premiere Date: November 30, 2023 (All-at-once)

Genre: Unscripted Docu-Series
Season: 3
Episode Count: 4
Synopsis: Season three of “Wild Crime,” “Wild Crime: Blood Mountain,” follows the case of experienced hiker Meredith Emerson, who along with her dog, vanished without a trace on Blood Mountain in Georgia, leading authorities to begin a massive search-and-rescue operation. When two murdered hikers in other national forests across the southeast are discovered, the question is posed: Is Emerson just another lost hiker — or is something more sinister behind her disappearance?
Credits: “Wild Crime” is produced for Hulu by ABC News Studios and Lone Wolf Media. Lisa Q. Wolfinger is executive producer and director, and Rushmore DeNooyer is executive producer. Beth Hoppe serves as executive producer, and David Sloan serves as senior executive producer for ABC News Studios. ABC News Studios is led by Mike Kelley, and Reena Mehta is the SVP of Streaming and Digital Content.
Contact: Lauri Hogan Lauri.L.Hogan@abc.com; Sydney Tretter Sydney.Tretter@abc.com

 

Culprits (U.K. Original)
Premiere Date: December 8, 2023 (All-at-once)
Trailer: HERE

Genre: Thriller Series
Season: 1
Episode Count: 8
Synopsis: “Culprits” kicks off where most crime stories end: after a high-stakes heist, when the crew of elite criminals have gone their separate ways and have tried to leave their old lives behind. Past and present collide when a ruthless assassin starts targeting them one by one. Why are they being stalked, who is behind the mayhem, and will they be able to find one another in time to protect themselves and the people they love?
Cast: The eight-episode series stars Nathan Stewart-Jarrett (“Generation”, “Candyman”), Gemma Arterton (“The Kin s Man”, “Summerland”), Kirby (“Cruella” “The Good Place”), Niamh Algar (“Deceit”, “Raised by Wolves”), Kamel El Basha (“The Insult”), Tara Abboud, Kevin Vidal (“Strays”, “Working Moms”), Ned Dennehy (“The Peripheral”, “Good Omens”), and Eddie Izzard (“Victoria and Abdul”, “Six Minutes to Midnight”).
Credits: “Culprits” is executive produced by Stephen Garrett (“The Undoing”, “The Night Manager”) & J Blakeson (“I Care A Lot”, “The Disappearance of Alice Creed”), created by J Blakeson, directed by J Blakeson and Claire Oakley (“Make Up”) and produced by Morenike Williams (“Killing Eve”). Culprits is a Character 7 production and is executive produced by Johanna Devereaux for Disney+ EMEA.
Contacts: Billy Nilles Billy.Nilles@disney.com; Mitchell Squires Mitchell.Squires@disney.com

 

Dragons of Wonderhatch (Japanese Original)
Premiere Date: December 20, 2023 (Two episodes at launch and in week two, then one episode weekly) *NEW ANNOUNCEMENT*

Genre: Anime-Live Action Hybrid, Drama Series
Season: 1
Episode Count: 8
Synopsis: “Dragons of Wonderhatch” follows Nagi, a girl in the “real world” who has spent her life feeling like she doesn’t belong. Dreaming of one day being able to fly, Nagi will come face to face with Thaim, another misfit from the animated world of Upananta who has long been made fun of for his inability to hear the voices of the dragons that inhabit his land. With the floating islands of Upananta slowly beginning to fall from the sky, the two misfits will set off on an epic adventure spanning both live-action and animated worlds.
Cast: Mackenyu, Sena Nakajima, Daiken Okudaira, Rena Tanaka, Masaki Miura, Riko Narumi, Sumire, Go Morita
Credits: Dragons of Wonderhatch is directed by live-action director Kentaro Hagiwara, animation director Takashi Otsuka, is produced by Production I.G (“Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045”) and features breathtaking work from character designer and concept artist Posuka Demizu (“The Promised Neverland”).
Contacts: Billy Nilles Billy.Nilles@disney.com; Mitchell Squires Mitchell.Squires@disney.com

 

Moving (Korean Original) – ENGLISH DUBS
Premiere Date: December 2023 (All-at-once)

Genre: Action Series
Season: 1
Episode Count: 20
Synopsis: In the 1990s, South Korea’s National Security Planning Agency established a black ops team of superpowered individuals. Tasked with carrying out classified missions, members of this elite unit used their powers to defend the country and achieve the impossible on a daily basis. Despite their successes, one day the team suddenly went dark, dispersing across the country, never to be heard from again.
A few decades later, Bongseok, a boy who could float before he could walk, and Huisoo, a girl who survived a horrific car crash unscathed, end up at the same school, quickly becoming close after confiding their secrets in each other and discovering there are more people like them out in the world. But while life seems relatively carefree for the teenagers, a mysterious delivery driver named Frank begins murdering people with powers across Seoul.
With danger drawing ever closer, will anyone be able to stop Frank before he uncovers the children’s secrets?
Cast: Ryu Seungryong, Han Hyojoo, Zo Insung, Lee Jungha, Go Younjung, Kim Dohoon
Credits: “Moving” is written by Kangfull, the creator behind the hugely popular webtoon of the same name, and directed by Park Inje.
Contacts: Billy Nilles Billy.Nilles@disney.com; Mitchell Squires Mitchell.Squires@disney.com

 

Death and Other Details
(FKA: Career Opportunities in Murder and Mayhem)
Premiere Date: Coming Winter 2024

Genre: Drama Series
Season: 1
Episode Count: 10
Synopsis: Set amidst the glamor of the global elite, “Death And other Details” centers on the brilliant and restless Imogene Scott (Violett Beane), who finds herself in the wrong place/wrong time (okay, it was kinda her fault) and becomes the prime suspect in a locked room murder mystery. The setting? A lavishly restored Mediterranean ocean liner. Suspects? Every pampered guest and every exhausted crew member. The problem? To prove her innocence, she must partner with a man she despises—Rufus Cotesworth (Mandy Patinkin), the world’s greatest detective.
Cast: The series stars Violett Beane, Mandy Patinkin, Lauren Patten, Rahul Kohli, Angela Zhou, Hugo Diego Garcia, Pardis Saremi, and Linda Emond.
Credits: “Death and Other Details” is produced by ABC Signature. The series is written and executive produced by Mike Weiss and Heidi Cole McAdams, who also serve as showrunners. Marc Webb directed the pilot and executive produces for Black Lamb. Mark Martin and David Petrarca also serve as executive producers.
Contacts: Chris McLaughlin Christopher.Mclaughlin@disney.com; Adelis Riveiro Adelis.Riveiro@disney.com

 

Superhot: The Spicy World of Pepper People
Premiere Date: January 22, 2024 (All-at-once) *NEW ANNOUNCEMENT*

Genre: Documentary Series
Season: 1
Episode Count: 10
Synopsis: Superhot spicy peppers are on fire lately – but while most experiment with heat, others live their lives in pursuit of fire. “Superhot” is a wild ride into the Spicy World of Pepper People – the self-proclaimed chili heads who have taken the chili pill and want to find out how deep the rabbit hole goes. This 10-part series goes deep into a subculture fueled by spice: from the elite growers who strive to create new superhots to the chili eaters who chase the endorphin rush of consuming them. Along the way, one legendary chili head sets out on a quest to answer the spiciest of questions: is there a pepper that can challenge the world’s hottest?
Credits: “Superhot: The Spicy World of Pepper People” is executive produced by Scott Feeley, Corinna Robbins, and Brian Skope for High Noon Entertainment, Chad Mumm and Mark W. Olsen for Vox Media Studios, and David Chang, Dave O’Connor, Chris Ying, and Christopher C. Chen for Majordomo Media. The series is narrated by Ben Schwartz and directed by Skope.
Contacts: Emily Leitz Emily.Leitz@disney.com; Adelis Riveiro Adelis.Riveiro@disney.com

 

Daughters of the Cult (ABC News)
Premiere Date: January 2023 (All-at-once) *NEW ANNOUNCEMENT*

Genre: Unscripted Docu-Series
Season: 1
Episode Count: 5
Synopsis: “Daughters of the Cult” is a shocking five-episode deep-dive into the history of the polygamous Ervil LeBaron cult told directly through the eyes of the people who were there. Hidden in plain sight throughout the Southwest and Mexico, a splinter group of Mormon fundamentalist cult members perpetrate a deadly wave of violence and abuse for decades in the name of their fanatical prophet Ervil LeBaron, dubbed the ‘Mormon Manson’. Survivors, relatives of killers and law enforcement now come forward to paint an emotional and grisly picture of a brutal madman ordering cold-blooded executions. Despite running from the FBI for most of their young lives there is triumph, healing, and sisterhood for the brave few who escape the cult and begin anew.
Credits: Produced for Hulu by ABC News Studios, Main Event Media and All3Media. Beth Hoppe serves as executive producer, and David Sloan serves as senior executive producer for ABC News Studios. Main Event Media’s Jimmy Fox and Emily Bon and All3Media’s Jacob Cohen-Holmes are executive producers. Sara Mast is executive producer and director. ABC News Studios is led by Mike Kelley, and Reena Mehta is the SVP of Streaming and Digital Content.
Contact: Lauri Hogan Lauri.L.Hogan@abc.com; Sydney Tretter Sydney.Tretter@abc.com

 

Love & WWE: Bianca & Montez 
Premiere Date: February 2, 2024 (All-at-once) *NEW ANNOUNCEMENT*

Genre: Unscripted Series
Season: 1
Episode Count: 8
Synopsis: “Love & WWE: Bianca & Montez” is a fun, exciting peek into the personal lives of WWE’s hottest couple. Bianca Belair and Montez Ford’s road to WrestleMania is a wild ride, as Montez continues his ascent and Bianca fights to hold on to her title. With the support of their tight knit group of friends, family and fellow superstars, the dynamic duo somehow always manages to pull off the impossible.
Credits: The series is produced by WWE and Wheelhouse’s Spoke Studios. Kevin Dunn and Chris Kaiser are the executive producers for WWE. Pam Healey, Will Nothacker, Liz Fine, Russ Friedman and Jayson Elmore are executive producers for Spoke.
Contact: Lydia McMahon Lydia.McMahon@disney.com

 

Life & Beth
Premiere Date: February 16, 2024 (All-at-once) *NEW ANNOUNCEMENT*

Genre: Comedy Series
Season: 2
Episode Count: 10
Synopsis: As Beth and John’s relationship grows more serious, Beth begins to examine the possibilities of marriage and having a family as she and John seek answers for their communication problems. Is Beth’s traumatic history with men, and people she trusted from her youth destined to repeat itself? And what is triggering her fears? Beth does her best to keep her relationships alive while struggling to support friends and family who are all facing their own problems while entering their fourth decade.
Cast: The series stars Amy Schumer, Michael Cera, Susannah Flood, Violet Young as well as recurring guest stars, Kevin Kane, Yamaneika Saunders, Laura Benanti, Michael Rapaport, LaVar Walker, Sas Goldberg, Arielle Siegel, Rosebud Baker and more.
Credits: “Life & Beth” is written, directed, executive-produced and starring Amy Schumer and executive-produced by Kevin Kane, Daniel Powell and Ryan McFaul. The series is produced by FIFTH SEASON.
Contacts: Yasamin Azarakhsh Yasamin.Azarakhsh@disney.com; Lydia McMahon Lydia.McMahon@disney.com; Adelis Riveiro Adelis.Riveiro@disney.com

 

An Earth Shatteringly Romantic Solar Valentine’s Day Opposites Special
Premiere Date: February 2024

Genre: Adult Animated Series
Season: 4
Synopsis: The Solar Opposites get romantic AF in their very first Valentine’s Day Special!
Cast: Dan Stevens, Thomas Middleditch, Sean Giambrone, Mary Mack
Credits: “Solar Opposites” is executive produced by Mike McMahan and Josh Bycel. The series is produced by 20th Television Animation.
Contact: Daniel Jackson Daniel.Jackson@disney.com; Chris Mclaughlin Christopher.Mclaughlin@disney.com

 

Death in the Dorms (ABC News)
Premiere Date: February 2023 (All-at-once) *NEW ANNOUNCEMENT*

Genre: Unscripted Docu-Series
Season: 2
Episode Count: 6
Synopsis: Season 2 of “Death in the Dorms” dives into six new true crime stories in six college campuses in the U.S. These are the stories of the kind of danger that no college student or parent is prepared for: A life cut short just when it was getting started.
Credits: “Death in the Dorms” is produced by ABC News Studios in association with The Intellectual Property Corporation (a part of Sony Pictures Television), and Yes, Like The River. ABC News Studios’ Carrie Cook is executive producer, and David Sloan is senior executive producer. Yes, Like The River’s Nile Cappello, The Intellectual Property Corporation’s Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman, and Myles Reiff are executive producers. ABC News Studios is led by Mike Kelley, and Reena Mehta is the SVP of Streaming and Digital Content.
Contact: Lauri Hogan Lauri.L.Hogan@abc.com; Sydney Tretter Sydney.Tretter@abc.com

 

Me Hereafter (ABC News)
Premiere Date: February 2023 (All-at-once) *NEW ANNOUNCEMENT*

Genre: Unscripted Docu-Series
Season: 1
Episode Count: 4
Synopsis: “Me Hereafter” is a true-crime series told from murder victims’ POVs. This genre-bending docu-drama series features never-before-seen investigative footage, riveting dramatic scenes and rich interviews with those closest to the victims. Guided toward the truth by the voices of those tragically murdered, each of the four episodes is a tick-tock investigation filled with clues, alibis, motives and misdirects that keeps viewers guessing.
Credits: Produced for Hulu by ABC News Studios and Committee Films. Committee Films’ Andy Awes and Maria Awes are executive producers. ABC News Studios’ Eamon McNiff is senior producer, and David Sloan is senior executive producer. ABC News Studios is led by Mike Kelley, and Reena Mehta is the SVP of Streaming and Digital Content.
Contact: Lauri Hogan Lauri.L.Hogan@abc.com; Sydney Tretter Sydney.Tretter@abc.com

 

Undead Unluck
Premiere Date: October 6, 2023
Finale Date: March 22, 2023 (Weekly)

Genre: Anime Series
Season: 1
Episode count: 24
Synopsis: What happens when an unlucky girl meets an undead guy? Pure chaos! Tired of inadvertently killing people with her special ability Unluck, Fuko Izumo sets out to end it all. But when she meets Andy, a man who longs for death but can’t die, she finds a reason to live—and he finds someone capable of giving him the death he’s been longing for.
Credits: The highly anticipated adaptation of Yoshifumi Tozuka’s popular manga, serialized in “Shonen Jump,” comes from UNLIMITED PRODUCE by TMS in collaboration with animation studio david production (“Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure,” “Fire Force,” “Cells at Work!”).
Contacts: Billy Nilles Billy.Nilles@disney.com; Mitchell Squires Mitchell.Squires@disney.com

FILMS / DOCS

Quiz Lady
Premiere Date: November 3, 2023
Trailer: HERE

Genre: Comedy Film
Synopsis: A brilliant but tightly wound, gameshow-obsessed young woman, Anne (Awkwafina), and her estranged, train-wreck of a sister Jenny (Oh), must work together to help cover their mother’s gambling debts. When Anne’s beloved dog is kidnapped, they set out on a wild, cross-country trek to get the cash the only way they know how: by turning Anne into a bona-fide gameshow champion.
Cast: Awkwafina, Sandra Oh, Jason Schwartzman, Holland Taylor, Tony Hale, and Will Ferrell.
Credits: Directed by Jessica Yu, written by Jen D’Angelo, and produced by Will Ferrell, Jessica Elbaum, Maggie Haskins, Itay Reiss, Jen D’Angelo, Awkwafina, and Sandra Oh, with Alex Brown and Erika Hampson serving as executive producers.
Contact: Derek Del Rossi Derek.Del.Rossi@disney.com

 

The Lady Bird Diaries (ABC News)
Premiere Date: November 13, 2023
Trailer: HERE

Genre: Documentary
Synopsis: “The Lady Bird Diaries” is a groundbreaking documentary that looks at one of the most influential and least-understood first ladies, featuring audio from the 123 hours of personal and revealing diaries Lady Bird Johnson began recording after JFK’s assassination and continued throughout her husband’s administration. Directed and produced by award-winning filmmaker Dawn Porter and produced by Kim Reynolds, the film is based on Julia E. Sweig’s acclaimed New York Times bestselling biography, “Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight,” and the eight-part ABC Audio and Best Case Studios podcast, “In Plain Sight: Lady Bird Johnson.”
Credits: “The Lady Bird Diaries” is produced by Trilogy Films for ABC News Studios. Dawn Porter and Kim Reynolds are the producers. Victoria Thompson and Jacqueline Glover are executive producers for ABC News Studios. Julia Sweig, Adam Pincus and Best Case Studios are executive producers. Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman are executive producers for Sony Pictures Television, Trilogy’s parent company. ABC News Studios is led by Mike Kelley, and Reena Mehta is the SVP of Streaming and Digital Content.
Contact: Lauri Hogan Lauri.L.Hogan@abc.com; Sydney Tretter Sydney.Tretter@abc.com

 

Cypher (Andscape)
Premiere Date: November 24, 2023
Trailer: HERE

Genre: Thriller, Music
Synopsis: GRAMMY-nominated lyricist and fast-rising star Tierra Whack first gained recognition at the age of 15 when she stunned viewers with her slick poetry while rapping for a YouTube channel on a Philadelphia Street. The video rapidly drew thousands of views and marked the first of Tierra’s many performances for the camera. Years later, director Chris Moukarbel begins documenting her astronomical rise, going behind the scenes of concerts and music videos as she navigates fame and receives exalted praise from stars like Erykah Badu. One night, after a particularly tiring set, a seemingly innocuous fan interaction begins a series of increasingly unsettling events that swirl around Tierra and her team — even following them to Dubai. They soon start questioning who is filming whom and whether being seen (or watched) is a desirable and unavoidable part of fame.
Cast: Tierra Whack
Credits: “Cypher” is directed by Chris Moukarbel and Natalia-Leigh Brown, Johnny Montina, Kenete Simms, Jake Fuller, Raina Kelley serving as executive producers.
Contacts: Lori Burns Lori.Burns@ledecompany.com; Cecile Cross Plummer Cecile.CrossPlummer@espn.com; Mac Nwulu Mac.Nwulu@espn.com

 

Faraway Downs
Premiere Date: November 26, 2023 (All-at-once)
Trailer: HERE

Genre: A film told in six-chapters
Episode Count: 6
Synopsis: The story centers on an English aristocrat, Lady Sarah Ashley (Nicole Kidman) who travels halfway across the world to confront her wayward husband and sell an unusual asset:  a million-acre cattle ranch in the Australian Outback called ‘Faraway Downs’.  Following the death of her husband, a ruthless Australian cattle baron, King Carney (Bryan Brown), plots to take her land and she reluctantly joins forces with a rough-hewn cattle drover (Hugh Jackman) to protect her ranch.  The sweeping adventure romance is explored through the eyes of young Nullah (newcomer Brandon Walters), a bi-racial Indigenous Australian child caught up in the government’s draconian racial policy now referred to as the “Stolen Generations.”  Together the trio experiences four life-altering years, a love affair between Lady Ashley and the Drover, and the unavoidable impact of World War II on Northern Australia.
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, Bryan Brown, Brandon Walters, and Ben Mendelsohn.
Crew: “Australia” was directed, produced and co-written by Luhrmann, alongside writers Stuart Beattie, Ronald Harwood and Richard Flanagan, with production and costume design by multiple-Academy Award winner Catherine Martin. “Faraway Downs” is executive produced by Luhrmann and Martin, along with Catherine Knapman and Schuyler Weiss. 20th Television is the studio.
Contacts: Courtney Young Courtney.Young@disney.com; Ann Vrooman Ann.Vrooman@disney.com

 

We Live Here: The Midwest
Premiere Date: December 6, 2023 *NEW ANNOUNCEMENT*

Genre: Documentary
Synopsis: All families must confront challenges, every day. But many also face a rising tide of discrimination and hate in their churches, schools, and even their own neighborhoods.
We Live Here: The Midwest profiles families who hope to stay in a part of the country they love, and where they have often established deep roots: a trans/queer family with five children in Iowa must find a new community after being expelled from their church; a gay Black couple with a young daughter test the line of acceptance in Nebraska; a lesbian couple homeschool their bullied son on a farm in Kansas; a gay teacher in Ohio creates a safe space for LGBTQI+ students; and a couple in Minnesota struggles to rebuild their families following both of their transitions. Meanwhile, Minnesota Representative and queer mother, Heather Keeler, brings LGBTQI+ rights to the political forefront despite ongoing death threats.
Fundamentally, the film captures a crucial time where anti-queer legislation and sentiment is rapidly multiplying across the country, and the values of all midwestern families are put to the ultimate test.
Credits: Melinda Maerker (director, producer), David Clayton Miller (producer)
Contacts: Courtney Young Courtney.Young@Disney.com; Brandon Shaw Brandon.Shaw@disney.com; Ann Vrooman Ann.Vrooman@disney.com

 

Self Reliance
Premiere Date: January 12, 2023 *NEW ANNOUNCEMENT*
*Previously announced as November 2023.

Genre: Comedy Thriller
Synopsis: When a middle-aged man (Jake Johnson) is invited into a limo by famous actor Andy Samberg, his dull life takes a thrilling turn. Johnson is offered a chance to win a million dollars in a dark web reality TV show, where assassins from all over the world attempt to kill him for 30 days. The catch? He can’t be killed if he’s not entirely alone, leading him to recruit an unlikely team to help him survive.
Cast: Jake Johnson (“New Girl,” “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” “Minx”), Anna Kendrick, Natalie Morales, Andy Samberg, GaTa (“Dave”), Emily Hampshire (“Schitt’s Creek”), Mary Holland, Boban Marjanović, with Christopher Lloyd, and Wayne Brady.
Credits: Written and directed by Jake Johnson, “Self Reliance” is produced by Lonely Island and Walcott Productions, while Ali Bell, Joe Hardesty and Johnson serve as producers and executive producers include Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone.
Contacts: Asia Willis Asia.Willis@disney.com; Mitchell Squires Mitchell.Squires@disney.com