Artists of color and underrepresented artists like Natasha Rothwell and Ryan Coogler will create content for a new curated content brand at Disney.
The Hollywood studio is launching Onyx Collective, which will run primarily on Hulu in the US and will serve as a curated content slate.
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Onyx Collective is led by Tara Duncan (left), who continues to serve as president of Freeform and set the first two projects. The initiative was previously called Disney General Entertainment Content’s BIPOC Creator Initiative.
Questlove’s feature documentation Summer of Soul (… or: When the revolution could not be broadcast on television), Recently acquired by Hulu and Searchlight Pictures, the project will be the brand’s first official project. The film, which tells the story of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, often referred to as Black Woodstock, will launch on Hulu on July 2 and stream internationally on Disney+’s Star.
The second project will The 1619 Project Documentary series produced by Oprah Winfrey and Lionsgate. The series is based on materials from The New York Times Magazine and the work of Nikole Hannah-Jones.
Projects by Unsure Author Rothwell, who recently signed an overall deal with Disney, and non-Marvel titles from Judas and the Black Messiah Proximity by producer Ryan Coogler will also be part of the Onyx Collective, which shares its name with an experimental jazz group
“Our industry is enriched immeasurably by the incredible talents of emerging and established artists of color. By forming Onyx Collective, we can be the best partners for these artists and provide them with the support they need to do their best work,” said Dana Walden, Chairman of Entertainment at Walt Disney Television. “Tara Duncan is a gifted executive with fantastic instincts. Under her leadership of this talented team, we have the opportunity to tell transformative stories that authentically represent our audiences and are critical to our success.”
Duncan added, “We are creating a home where artists of color are inspired, empowered and have unprecedented opportunities to reach audiences around the world. This artist-first approach will make Onyx Collective synonymous with fun, bold and daring ideas told from a distinctive perspective. I am proud of this opportunity and all the possibilities.”
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