Deal with NPO in the Netherlands will see a local remake of Werewolves being live streamed alongside public broadcaster’s transmission
Disney+ has unveiled its latest windowing partnership with a European public broadcaster, this time linking with NPO in the Netherlands on a local remake of a French reality series.
Wolven, which is being produced by Banijay Benelux label SimpelZodiak, will air weekly from 29 August on NPO 1 with episodes being streamed simultaneously on the broadcaster’s streamer NPO Start and Disney+ in the Netherlands.
It marks the latest move by Disney+ to expand its relationships with public service broadcasters in Europe as it attempts to extend its reach.
The streamer struck a deal with Spanish public broadcaster RTVE in March that will see it carry the broadcaster’s unscripted shows such as MasterChef, while a 300-hour programming pact with Spanish compatriot Atresmedia was agreed late last year.
Disney+ also has content partnerships in place with the UK’s ITVX – with a handful of shows being shared between the platforms – as well as ARD and ZDF in Germany, Rai in Italy and SIC in Portugal. Further afield, Disney+ linked with Mexican broadcast giant TV Azteca in May on the first live version of Banijay’s cookery format MasterChef, which will track contestants day-to-day lives during the competition.
Wolven has run for three seasons on Canal+ in France, having been created by Fary and Panayotis Pascot. Jaad Productions and Presque Prod own rights to the show, which was originally known as Werewolves and is based on the strategy boardgame Les Loups-Garous de Thiercelieux (Werewolves of Millers Hollow).
StudioCanal and DreamSpark represent the format globally and launched the show at Mipcom in 2024, but Banijay Entertainment struck a deal to lead adaptations across its global footprint, which includes much of Europe, the US and Australia.
The Netherlands show will be known locally as Wolven: Het Spel Van List en Bedrog (Wolves: A Game of Deceit and Betrayal) and is to be filmed at the purpose-built forest village production hub in France this summer.
Pieter Derks and Soundos El Ahmadi will host, with the show pitting 13 contestants – all purporting to be villagers – against one another as they attempt to uncover three wolves hidden among them.
Lucien Brouwer, member of NPO’s executive board, said the collaboration would enable the show to reach a wider audience.
“Disney is a household name, with stories that we have all grown up with. For that reason, we strongly believe in working together to reach even more people in the Netherlands with our content. This is, and will remain, a core mission.
“Wolven brings generations together and allows audiences to enjoy gameplay, suspense, and unexpected twists collectively. That sense of connection, bringing young and old together around one show, fits perfectly with the unifying role of public broadcasting.”
Karl Holmes, general manager of Disney+ EMEA, said: “It’s the kind of show you want to watch together, and we’re delighted to be bringing it to Disney+ audiences in the Netherlands. Together with NPO, we can help great local shows find new and younger audiences, while giving our customers more local stories to enjoy.”
Streamer-broadcaster partnerships have become increasingly common over the past year as operators such as Disney+ and Netflix – which struck a deal with French commercial giant TF1 due to kick in this summer – look to increase their advertising revenues and pull in new customers.
Streamers have also been looking to present themselves at valuable, flexible partners to broadcasters, particularly in helping them attract younger audiences.
Holmes told the Enders TMT Leaders Live conference last week that Disney+ had the youngest audience of any of the UK streamers, with nearly 40% of viewing hours on its platform coming from 16-34s and that he wanted the streamer “to be the best partner for the wider industry.”
He added: “What we offer free to air broadcast partners is the opportunity to extend the reach of their content. They get to bring their stories to our young audience, while Disney+ customers get to discover some of the biggest local stories.
”Each deal is different: We’re flexible and we work with broadcasters in ways that deliver for both sides. But one thing never changes: we make sure our broadcast partners get strong brand attribution.”
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