Disney+ has secured a significant two-year deal with Matriarch Productions, the company co-founded by acclaimed actors Stephen Graham and Hannah Walters and responsible for hits such as Adolescence and A Thousand Blows, to develop and release a slate of new original series.
The partnership will see the streaming giant host both scripted and unscripted content from the prolific production house.
Expressing their enthusiasm for the collaboration, Graham and Walters issued a joint statement: "We are beyond thrilled to be working with Disney+ and through this creative partnership will strive to produce inspiring, entertaining and thought-provoking storytelling."
Angela Jain, head of content at Disney+ EMEA, underscored the strategic importance of the deal. "Stephen and Hannah have proven they know how to tell bold, impactful stories and our vision also aligns with them around providing a platform for underrepresented voices in the UK," she stated.
Jain added that the commitment to "distinctive, local stories that entertain and resonate with audiences" makes Matriarch "the perfect partners as we look to evolve our production slate in the UK. This is a dream, and we’re thrilled to continue working with them."
Matriarch Productions has garnered critical acclaim for its previous work, including the Netflix hit Adolescence, which explored complex social issues.
The company was also behind the Hulu Original series A Thousand Blows, whose second season is currently available on Disney+.
Their first feature film, Boiling Point, premiered at the London Film Festival in 2021, earning four Bafta Film nominations before being adapted into a six-part BBC television series in 2022.
Adolescence, one of Matriarch’s most recognised productions, stars Graham as Eddie Miller, a father whose life is upended when armed police raid his home to arrest his 13-year-old son, Jamie, played by Owen Cooper. Eddie is subsequently chosen as Jamie’s appropriate adult, accompanying him during police interviews and confronting the gravity of the accusations against his son.
Co-written by Graham and Jack Thorne, the programme sparked a national dialogue on online safety, particularly addressing so-called incel (involuntary celibate) culture, online misogyny, and social media bullying. Its profound impact led to Graham and Thorne being invited to a parliamentary meeting on the subject by Labour MP Josh MacAlister last year.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has also lauded the series, urging both Parliament and schools to watch it, and revealing he had viewed the show with his own children.
