Dubai [UAE]/ Vancouver (British Columbia) [Canada], July 28 (ANI): 99 Kids Holdings Co. today announced that OSN+, the region's leading premium streaming service, will become the exclusive regional streaming home of THE 99, the multi-award-winning, Arab-created superhero series that is the brainchild of Kuwaiti clinical psychologist and social entrepreneur Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa.
Under the partnership, OSN+ will exclusively stream the remastered 4K edition of Season One and debut Season Two for the very first time in the Middle East across the 22 countries it serves for an initial six-month exclusive window. OSN+ will also hold exclusive first rights to Season Three when it launches in 2027.
THE 99 was the first children's IP from the Arab world to go global, appearing in 70 countries and 16 languages in its original run. Featuring a globally recognised cast of heroes each drawn from a different culture -- including Noora, the lead Emirati hero -- the series celebrates universal values such as tolerance, empathy, caring, kindness, understanding, positivity, courage and compassion.
The series has been recognised by the United Nations, the World Economic Forum, the Young Presidents' Organisation and world leaders. At the 2010 Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship, U.S. President Barack Obama singled out Dr. Al-Mutawa and THE 99 for their contribution to improving dialogue between Muslim societies and the United States. In 2012, THE 99 made its debut at the New York Film Festival, followed by a viewing under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, the late Ruler of Kuwait. In January 2015, Dr. Al-Mutawa received the Islamic Economy Award in the Media category for THE 99 from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. A further honour came in the form of a crossover comic book series with DC where the 99 heroes worked with Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the rest of the Justice League.
Co-produced by Endemol (now Banijay), THE 99 was written by industry veterans including Stan Berkowitz (Batman, Superman) and Fabian Nicieza (X-Men, co-creator of Deadpool), pairing world-class storytelling craft with a distinctly regional voice.
Teresa Rio, VP Marketing, OSN+ and Anghami, said, "We're pleased to welcome THE 99 to OSN+ and to be the first streaming platform to bring Season Two to audiences across the region."
Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa, creator of THE 99, said, "All heroes start and end their journeys in the same place after enduring a series of setbacks, surviving life-and-death experiences, meeting a mentor, making friends and enemies, and returning with an elixir. There were moments when it seemed to others that the story of THE 99 had ended. I never believed that. I believed the characters had simply been waiting for the right time to return and claim their rightful place among the world's greatest superhero franchises. Today, that time has come."
Beyond the relaunch of the original 52 remastered episodes, THE 99 is being rebooted with an all-new slate of content, including a third season of the animated series, new comics, and new video games -- extending the franchise across platforms for a new generation of fans in the region and worldwide.
THE 99 was the first Islam-inspired comic and animated series to feature superheroes reflecting universal values recognisable across cultures, and the first children's IP from the Arab world to go global.
99 Kids Holdings Co. is a dual Canada/UAE company rebooting THE 99 as a multi-platform, values-driven entertainment franchise with the ambition to become a top-10 global children's IP. It is producing all new 99 stories via comics, video games and a third animated season.
OSN+ is the region's leading premium streaming service. Led by partnerships with major studios including HBO, NBC Universal, MGM, Sony and more OSN+ delivers the latest content concurrently with the US, including critically acclaimed series and movies as well as world-class Arabic content and OSN+ Originals. OSN+ can be accessed through all devices, including major TV platforms, iOS, Android and the web. Find out more and stream at .
OSN Group is the leading premium entertainment provider servicing 22 countries across MENA. The Group delivers world-class content through its key divisions: OSN+, OSNtv and Anghami, alongside dedicated B2B offerings in every market. As the exclusive home for HBO and Warner Bros. Discovery content in the region, OSN Group is known for broadcasting the latest global hits -- including Western, Arabic and Turkish content -- concurrently with the US. OSN combines global studio partnerships with original local productions and the region's leading music streaming service. (ANI)
Disclaimer: This press release is issued through Arab Newswire (www.arabnewswire.com) -- a press release distribution service for the Arab World, Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
