Hulu Renews ‘Mindy Project’ and ‘The Path,’ Launches Doc Division With Beatles Film
Upfronts 2016: SVOD service also orders Triumph the Insult Comic Dog election special, VR concert series
Tony Maglio | May 4, 2016 @ 5:00 AM
Last Updated: May 4, 2016 @ 12:45 PM
Hulu had a laundry list of announcements at its 2016 upfront presentation Wednesday morning, beginning with the renewals of original series “The Mindy Project” and “The Path.”
The SVOD service also ordered a new Triumph the Insult Comic Dog election special, as well as a virtual reality series with Live Nation, which will take music fans closer than ever to concert stages.
Plus, the company revealed its acquisition of Ron Howard‘s “The Beatles: Eight Days a Week,” which will kick off the efforts of its new arm, Hulu Documentary Films.
Hulu also revealed a new interactive advertising partnership with Brightline and the launch of a potentially groundbreaking digital viewership measurement system through Nielsen. Additionally, the company is teaming up with Millward Brown on a data initiative, and unveiled for advertisers new brand integration deals with Goose Island Beer (for “Casual”) and Lexus (“Mindy”).
Finally, the streaming service stated that its subscriber base has grown more than 30 percent year over year and will reach 12 million subs in the U.S. this month.
“Over the past year, we’ve propelled Hulu by adding an extraordinary array of original series, hit broadcast and cable shows and blockbuster movies to our content portfolio — all of which has led to incredible growth in subscribers and engagement,” Hulu CEO Mike Hopkins said in his general remarks. “In 2016, we’re going even bigger and bolder. We’ll expand our offering with more premium content and brand new ad measurement products that will continue to make Hulu the leader in choice for seamless entertainment and advertising experiences.”
Debuting in theaters and on Hulu this fall, “The Beatles: Eight Days a Week” is based on the first part of the Beatles’ career and will explore how John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr came together to become this extraordinary phenomenon, Hulu said. It will explore their inner workings — how they made decisions, created their music and built their collective career together — all the while, exploring the Beatles’ extraordinary and unique musical gifts and their remarkable, complementary personalities.
The film will focus on the time period from the early Beatles’ journey in the days of the Cavern Club in Liverpool to their last concert at Candlestick Park in San Francisco in 1966.
“Eight Days a Week” is produced with the cooperation of McCartney, Starr, Yoko Ono Lennon and Olivia Harrison. Nigel Sinclair, Scott Pascucci and Brian Grazer are producing alongside Howard. Additionally, Apple Corps Ltd’s Jeff Jones and Jonathan Clyde will serve as executive producers, along with Imagine’s Michael Rosenberg and White Horse’s Guy East and Nicholas Ferrall. Paul Crowder is editor and Mark Monroe is the writer. Marc Ambrose is a supervising producer.
Here’s some additional information on the Live Nation-collaborative VR push, in Hulu’s own words:
Live Nation’s content in the Hulu VR app will immerse fans in the visual and auditory excitement of a live, virtual performance. Fans will hang backstage with their favorite artists before the show, experience the intensity of walking on stage as the crowds cheer and get the best seat in the house for the beginning of the performance
Additional details around timing of Live Nation’s VR content as well as artists featured will be announced at a later date.
21 Worst Onscreen Moms, From Norma Bates to Peg Bundy (Photos)
TheWrap looks at dysfunctional moms in honor of Mother's Day, from Norma Bates in "Psycho" to Peg Bundy in "Married With Children" and "Serial Mom."
"Psycho" (1960) Possibly the worst mother in Hollywood history (and now on A&E with "Bates Motel"), Norma Bates was so abusive she it resulted in her murder -- and those of subsequent innocent victims -- at the hands of her son, Norman.
Warner Bros. Pictures
"The Manchurian Candidate" (1962) Mrs. Iselin (Angela Lansbury) is less a mother and more a secret agent intent on making her son the first puppet President in a Communist conspiracy.
M.C. Productions
"Carrie" (1976) After emotionally and physically abusing her daughter for years, Mrs. White (Piper Laurie) tried to kill Carrie when she believed a demon was the reason her daughter had psychic powers.
United Artists
"Mommie Dearest" (1981)Faye Dunaway portrays Joan Crawford as controlling and overbearing mother to adopted daughter, Christina, in the 1981 biographical cult drama.
Paramount Pictures
"Married... with Children" (1987-97) Peggy Bundy isn't mean, she's just lazy and inattentive, refusing to cook or clean and instead spending her time sat on the couch watching "Oprah."
Embassy Television
"Throw Momma From the Train" (1987) Mrs. Lift (Anne Ramsey) was such a terrible, overbearing mother that her son was inspired on how to kill her after watching an Alfred Hitchcock movie.
Orion Pictures
"Seinfeld" (1989-98) After watching Mrs. Costanza (Estelle Harris) for only five minutes, you completely understand how George could grow into the needy, neurotic person we knew and loved for nine seasons.
West-Shapiro
"Serial Mom" (1994) The dark comedy starred Kathleen Turner as a suburban housewife who secretly murders people over trivial of perceived slights or social faux pas.
Polar Entertainment Corporation
"The Sopranos" (1999-2007) A paranoid nightmare, Livia Soprano (Nancy Marchand) tried to have her mob boss son, Tony Soprano, killed when she thought he was too weak to lead.
HBO
"Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood" (2002)Ellen Burstyn plays the abusive Southern mother to Sandra Bullock in this comedy-drama that spans 70 years of the "Ya-Ya Sisterhood."
All Girls Productions
"White Oleander" (2002) Based on the novel by Janet Fitch, Michelle Pfeiffer plays a self-centered, cold-hearted and eccentric mother who kills and her cheating boyfriend -- landing her in prison and daughter, Astrid (Alison Lohman) in a foster home.
Warner Bros. Pictures
"8 Mile" (2002) Jimmy "B-Rabbit" Smith Jr. (Eminem) lives with his alcoholic mother (Kim Basinger) in a Detroit trailer park while struggling to make it as a white rapper.
Imagine Entertainment
"Arrested Development" (2003-) Lucille Bluth (Jessica Walter) was never hesitant to sacrifice her children's happiness for a gin and tonic.
Imagine Entertainment
"Mean Girls" (2004) The ultimate example of lax parenting, Mrs. King (Amy Poehler) is way more concerned with looking cool than being an actual mom to her daughter.
Paramount Pictures
"Mad Men" (2007-15) Though she could occasionally show maternal instinct, Betty Draper (January Jones) was at times just as childish as her kids, and often even more selfish and needy.
Lionsgate Television
"Sons of Anarchy" (2008-14) Gemma Teller Morrow (Katey Sagal) may have had the motorcycle club's interests at heart, but those interests typically involved ruining her son's chances at happiness, culminating in her killing his wife and the mother of his child.
SutterInk
"The Hangover" (2009) We all remember how nice Jade (Heather Graham) was, but we always forgot that she let three complete strangers take her baby for the night in Las Vegas.
Warner Bros. Pictures
"Precious" (2009) Unemployed mother Mary (Mo'Nique) takes out all her fears and insecurities on her 16-year-old daughter, whom she blamed for getting impregnated twice by Mary's husband after he raped her.
Lionsgate
"The Hunger Games" (2012) Mrs. Everdeen (Paula Malcomson) emotionally shut down after the death of her husband, leaving her teenage daughter Katniss to figure out how to keep her family alive.
Lionsgate
"Justified" (2010-15) Mags Bennett (Margo Martindale) runs a family of hillbilly pot growers, makes lethal moonshine and wields a hammer that she's not afraid to use.
FX Productions
"American Horror Story: Coven" (2013-14) There are so many evil moms to choose from on "AHS" but Fiona (Jessica Lange) takes this dark prize as the glamorous wicked witch to belittled daughter Cordelia (Sarah Paulson).
Brad Falchuk Teley-Vision
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TheWrap looks at dysfunctional family matriarchs in honor of Mother’s Day
TheWrap looks at dysfunctional moms in honor of Mother's Day, from Norma Bates in "Psycho" to Peg Bundy in "Married With Children" and "Serial Mom."