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Disney has sealed a pact with Burbank-based content creator Dhar Mann Studios to create new youth- and family-oriented programming for its platforms, the companies announced Friday. The deal kicks off with a 20-episode
order on series produced by Dhar Mann Studios for Disney; further details were not revealed.
“Dhar has built a distinctive voice and an enormous global following, with stories that are uniquely his own,” said Asad Ayaz, Chief Marketing and Brand Officer, The Walt Disney Company, and Debra OConnell, Chairman, Disney Entertainment Television, in a joint statement. “He and his team have forged an extraordinary connection with their audience, and we believe their optimistic, deeply relatable storytelling will connect in a meaningful way with Disney fans.”
Dhar Mann Studios said that it attracts more than 170 million followers globally and nearly 300 million views each week across platforms, with programming that it describes as “uplifting, relatable stories rooted in universal experiences.”
“For me, this is so much bigger than a content deal,” said Dhar Mann, founder of Dhar Mann Studios, in a statement. “I grew up with Disney stories. Now I get to experience that same magic through the eyes of my own family, and the idea that we now have the opportunity to create stories for Disney for the next generation is incredibly meaningful to me.”
The companies said more details about the 20-episode order will be announced at a later time.
Dhar Mann Studios is based in a three-stage, 125,000 square-foot production studio in Burbank, not far from The Walt Disney Co. headquarters. Dhar Mann Studios’ other partnerships include deals with brands like Adobe, the NFL and Gap. The company also produces original programming for Samsung TV Plus, where Dhar operates a FAST channel (which was the platform’s first creator-led original content deal) and a global vertical video slate with Fox Entertainment.
“We’ve spent years building a direct relationship with our audiences and learning what makes them laugh, cry, share and, most importantly, feel seen,” Mann added in his statement. “Disney has spent generations creating stories and characters that become part of people’s lives. Bringing those two worlds together gives us an opportunity to dream much bigger about what these stories can become, where they can go and how many people they can impact.”
