Disney Branded Television Orders 2 Music-Driven, Live-Action Comedies To Series; Full Casts Set
Disney Branded Television has given series greenlights to two music-driven, live-action comedies – How We Became The Biggest Band in the World (working title) and Vampirina (working title). Both are slated to premiere next year on Disney Channel and Disney+.
The series orders are part of Ayo Davis’, president, Disney Branded Television’s, strategy of building a new Disney Channel and Disney+ lineup of multi-cam sitcoms for kid audiences. The new slate began rolling out this week with sequel series Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, executive produced by Selena Gomez.
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“How We Became the Biggest Band in the World (wt) and Vampirina (wt) are two standout additions to Disney Channel’s comedy slate,” said Davis. “Both new series are full of all the elements we know our young audiences love: relatable, aspirational characters, upbeat music and plenty of laughter, friendship and heart.”
How We Became the Biggest Band in the World (wt) follows three members of a mega-famous pop group, Electric Bloom, as they look back and tell the story of their band and friendship, starting with the day they all met in middle school. The girls go on a journey to becoming the biggest band in the world and the best friends in the universe.
The series stars Lumi Pollack (The Fallout) as Posey, newcomer Carmen Sanchez as Jade, newcomer Ruby Marino as Tulip and Nathaniel Buescher (Circuit Breakers) as Lucas.
Eric Friedman serves as showrunner and executive producer alongside writers and executive producers Alex Fox and Rachel Lewis. Iconic songwriter Diane Warren and Bahareh Batmang are executive producers, and Warren wrote the songs in the pilot. Jody Hahn directed and executive-produced the pilot.
Vampirina (wt), based on the books by Anne Marie Pace and illustrated by LeUyen Pham, is inspired by the Disney Jr. animated series Vampirina from Chris Nee. It follows a tween vampire girl who leaves the safety of Transylvania to attend a performing arts boarding school. Living amongst humans for the first time, she pursues her passion for music while keeping her vampire secret, something that’s made more challenging when her overprotective father charges an overzealous ghost to live with her at the school.
The series stars newcomer Kenzi Richardson as Vee, Jiwon Lee (Rise Up, Sing Out) as Sophie, Shaun Dixon (The Neighborhood) as Elijah, Milo Maharlika (Les Miserables Broadway National Tour) as Demi and newcomer Faith Hedley (Disney’s The Lion King, International Tour) as Britney.
Randi Barnes serves as showrunner and executive producer. Tim Federle and Bronwyn North-Reist are executive producers. Kimberly McCullough directed and executive produced the pilot.
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