Netflix inks deal with award-winning filmmaker Kenny Ortega and fasttracks his first two projects
Netflix has announced that it has entered into a multi-year overall deal with producer, director, and choreographer Kenny Ortega. Ortega is known for the 'High School Musical' franchise, which earned him a Primetime Emmy and Directors Guild of America Award. Widely acclaimed for his genre-bending work in musicals, drama, comedy, and family programs, Ortega has directed and choreographed international hits including the 'Descendants' trilogy, 'Newsies', and 'Hocus Pocus', and choreographed classic films including 'Dirty Dancing', 'Ferris Bueller’s Day Off', and 'Pretty in Pink', among others. Truman Alfaro will serve as Ortega’s development executive.
Kenny Ortega said: "As a fan of Netflix and their dynamic range of high quality content, I am thrilled to begin a creative relationship with the company. I'm super excited about the projects we already have in development and the shared enthusiasm I feel from the company. l look forward to this new Netflix collaboration with the highest hopes.”
The first two projects Ortega will direct and produce for Netflix are 'Auntie Claus' (working title), a film, and 'Julie and the Phantoms', an original series, which he will also executive produce. 'Auntie Claus' is a musical based on the popular book series of the same name by Elise Primavera involving a young girl determined to get to the bottom of why her eccentric, Christmas-loving Aunt disappears every Christmas. It will be adapted by Tiffany Paulsen (Holidate, Nancy Drew).
'Julie and the Phantoms' is a musical comedy series in development based on an International Emmy Award-nominated Brazillian television series. Julie is a teenaged girl who finds her passion for music and life with the help of a high -concept band of three teen boys (The Phantoms) who have been dead for 25 years. Julie, in turn, helps them become the band they were never able to be. Dan Cross and David Hoge (The Thundermans, Pair of Kings) will serve as showrunners and executive producers on the series, with George Salinas and Jaime Aymerich of Crossover Entertainment, as well as Hugo Janeba and Joao Tikhmiroff of Mixer Entertainment. Jason La Padura and Natalie Hart (High School Musical and Descendants trilogies) are now casting the titular roles.
Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer, Netflix, said, “Throughout the course of his career, Kenny Ortega has inspired generations of artists and audiences alike. That he has chosen to make Netflix his creative home to work on both feature films and series is thrilling. We can’t wait to see what he brings to Netflix to delight musical-loving families and audiences around the globe.