Today at the Hulu Upfront Presentation at Madison Square Garden Theater, Hulu announced original series orders and content licensing agreements.
Of note with respect to this blog’s stated interests…
— The streaming service has picked up “Marvel’s Runaways” in its first series order with Marvel Television. The fan-favorite and groundbreaking comic book series will be brought to life on Hulu by the team behind “The O.C.” and “Gossip Girl,” Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage. Schwartz and Savage will serve as Co-Showrunners/writers and will executive produce the series along with Marvel’s, Jeph Loeb and Jim Chory.
Marvel’s Runaways is the story of six diverse teenagers who can barely stand each other but who must unite against a common foe – their parents. The popular classic explores the younger side of the Marvel Universe in a coming of age, new action series that will premiere on Hulu in the winter.
— In addition, Hulu announced a straight-to-series order for “The First” (working title), a drama set in the near future about the first human mission to Mars. The series is created and written by Oscar, Emmy, Golden Globe, and BAFTA Award-nominated Beau Willimon (“House of Cards,” “Ides of March”), who also serves as executive producer alongside his producing partner Jordan Tappis.
The First explores the challenges of taking the first steps toward interplanetary colonization. “It’s a story about the human spirit,” said Willimon. “About our indomitable need to reach for unknown horizons. About people working toward the greatest pioneering achievement in human history. And about the cost of that vision, the danger and sacrifice – emotional, psychological, and physical – that’s required to achieve it. How ordinary, imperfect people band together and overcome a myriad of obstacles to grasp the extraordinary.”
The series will go into production later this year and is slated to premiere on Hulu in 2018. Westward Productions – founded by Willimon and Tappis – will own and produce THE FIRST. The series will be co-financed by Hulu, Channel 4 and IMG.
— Hulu also announced that it will be the exclusive subscription streaming home to FX’s award-winning, breakout freshman comedy series, “Atlanta.”
Following its critically-acclaimed first season on FX, “Atlanta” took home two 2017 Golden Globe Awards for Best TV Comedy series and Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy for star (and series creator) Donald Glover. The complete first season of the series will become available to stream exclusively on Hulu ahead of its second season premiere, slated for 2018 on FX, and subsequent seasons will become available to stream on Hulu following their run on FX.
The series comes to Hulu through a robust, multi-year output agreement with Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution. The landmark agreement granted Hulu the exclusive subscription video on-demand rights to FX Networks’ Original Series produced by FX Productions. In addition to “Atlanta,” the deal locked in the subscription video on-demand rights to popular series including “You’re The Worst,” “Baskets” and more.
— And finally, Hulu Original Series “The Handmaid’s Tale” has been renewed for a second season, on the heels of its extraordinary week one premiere. Season 2 is set to debut in 2018.
Based on the award-winning, best-selling novel of the same name by Margaret Atwood, “The Handmaid’s Tale”(which co-stars Samira Wiley) premiere has been watched by more Hulu viewers than any other series premiere – original or acquired – on the service, drawing acclaim from both fans and critics.
“The Handmaid’s Tale” follows the story of life in the dystopia of Gilead, a totalitarian society in what was formerly part of the United States. The series is created, executive produced and written for television by Bruce Miller, who serves as the series’ showrunner.
