Disney+ Seeks British Comedy as international Originals Expand
London – Disney+ is actively pursuing more British comedy series as part of a broader strategy to bolster its international original content slate, according to Eric Schrier, President of Disney Television and Hulu Originals. The announcement comes as Disney+ ramps up production globally,launching 100 series in over 20 territories this year,with the UK identified as a key market alongside Spain,Germany,Italy,Korea,Turkey,and brazil.
Schrier revealed the focus on British comedy during a recent industry talk, outlining Disney’s approach to international content creation.The company is increasingly positioning hulu as its platform for more adult-oriented programming outside the U.S., having replaced the Star brand with the Hulu moniker. This allows for international commissions to be more “edgy” than content under other disney brands.
“We’re realy looking to do hulu originals across the world to show adults that Disney+ can still do edgy things,” Schrier told producers, clarifying that the focus is shifting away from in-house progress of kids and family content.
Beyond comedy, Disney+ is embracing content partnerships with free-to-air broadcasters, recently striking deals with ITV in the UK, Atresmedia in Spain, and ZDF Studios in Germany. Schrier described these broadcasters as “really powerful entities in their markets.” He highlighted the success of Hulu’s model in the U.S.,where it acquires ABC and Fox broadcast content the day after linear premieres,calling it a “very productive way to offer content to subscribers.”
Disney+ is adopting a flexible approach to content acquisition, allowing market demands to “dictate on… a project-by-project basis.” while acknowledging that exclusivity isn’t always the priority, Schrier noted producers remain drawn to the large upfront fees offered for global rights, a trend pioneered by Netflix.
During the talk, Schrier also announced The Devil in My DMs, a four-part Hulu true-crime series produced by UK-based Lightbox (also behind the Disney+ original Camden). The series explores the intersection of social media and crime, following four cases where online interactions led to real-life offenses. Sean Doyle, Executive Director of Unscripted at Disney+, ordered the show, with Suzanne Lavery and lightbox co-founders Simon Chinn and Jonathan Chinn serving as executive producers, and Toby Trackman (Camden) as lead director.
