TelevisaUnivision is adding to the roster of original titles offered on the ViX+ premium streaming service that bowed last month with the goal of serving up more than 70 new programs in its first year of operations.
Production is underway on three scripted drama series, “Colapso,” “Isla Brava,” and “Senda Prohibida,” as well as the documentary “Absoluta” offering a behind-the-scenes look at the transformation of Spain’s national soccer team known affectionately as La Furia Roja (the Red Fury).
“From thrilling mysteries to heartwarming personal stories, these new original productions represent a sample of the breadth of incredible Spanish-language storytelling you can only find on ViX+,” said Rodrigo Mazon, executive VP and general manager of ViX+.
Launched July 21 in the US and Latin America, ViX+ has struck programming deals with a bevy of prominent content creators including Salma Hayek Pinault, Eugenio Derbez, Selena Gomez, Maria Dueñas, Mario Vargas Llosa, Santiago Limón, Leonardo Padrón and Marc Cistaré. It has also forged content deals with Spain’s MediaPro Studio and Mediacrest as well as Colombia’s Dynamo, among others.
ViX+ plans to offer more than 10,000 hours of ad-free entertainment programming on year one in its bid to sway more Spanish-speaking audiences to add another streaming service to their monthly mix. In May, TelevisaUnivision agreed to acquire Spanish-language streaming platform Pantaya to further bolster ViX+’s programming offer.
ViX+ costs $6.99 per month in the US and MX$119 per month in Mexico. It complements the ad-supported ViX, which launched March 31.
The launch of ViX+ marks the first major strategic swing to come from the Spanish-language media giant since the long-awaited union of Televisa and Univision was achieved earlier this year in a deal valued at about $4.8 billion.
The upcoming ViX+ Originals are:
** “Colapso” (“Collapse”) (working title): Drama series is a Spanish-language adaptation of the French dystopian miniseries “L’Effondrement,” an International Emmy Award nominee. The story is told from the point of view of a motley group of characters as the entire financial, technological, political and environmental systems of Mexico City totally collapse. The series hails from production banner Perro Azul, founded by TV production pros Juan Uruchurtu (“Narcos”) and Alexis Fridman (“Sr. Avila”).
** “Isla Brava” (“Brave Island”) (working title): A mystery series that begins one night when a woman, Lucia, decides to confess to her husband Alfredo that she is having an affair with his younger brother. That same night, Alfredo vanishes without a trace. The investigation of Alfredo’s disappearance unearths a dark life marked by blackmail, greed, gambling debts and a sordid family secret. Produced by Onza Entertainment.
Soccer star Xabi Alonso in the ViX+ documentary “Absoluta”
ViX+
** “Senda Prohibida” (“Forbidden Path”): An updated reimagining of Televisa’s very first novela, this rendition from award-winning telenovela producer Giselle González centers on Nora, who has no qualms in wrecking the peace of a family to attain the life of luxury she’s always desired. Produced by Televisa Studios.
** “Absoluta” (“Absolute”): This documentary follows two star players from Spain’s national soccer team, Iker Casillas from Real Madrid and Xavi Hernández from FC Barcelona, who help transform an underdog team into one of the world’s top contenders. The documentary about the team hailed as La Furia Roja comes from Spain’s Jorge Laplace of Prinzi Films.
The premium sports documentary complements the more than 7,000 hours of live sports coverage on ViX+, including live soccer matches and coverage of the world’s top leagues and tournaments in the US and Mexico.