Viacom’s MTV is launching a studios arm that it says will focus on developing new series as well as revived versions of classics like ‘Daria,’ ‘The Real World’ and ‘Made.’
According to MTV, these series will be made for SVOD and linear distribution, meaning the studio’s content will be sold to other networks and streaming platforms.
“MTV has the biggest collection of hit youth franchises that spans more than three decades of content and over 200 titles, part of which have fueled our resurgence,” said Chris McCarthy, president of MTV, in a statement. “With MTV Studios, we are for the first time ever opening up this vault beyond our own platforms to reimagine the franchises with new partners.”
The studio’s initial slate includes a revamped version of 90s animated show ‘Daria’ that will be written by Grace Edwards of ‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’ and ‘Inside Amy Schumer’ fame. It will also roll out a reboots of ‘The Real World’ and ‘Made,’ both of which were popular reality shows during MTV’s heyday, as well as a ‘live action remake’ of 90s science fiction series 'Aeon Flux.'
Two newcomers round out the studio’s launch slate. One, called ‘The Valley,’ will follow a group of 20-somethings who live in a town along the border of the United States and Mexico. Another, titled ‘MTV’s Straight Up Ghosted,’ explores “real stories of real people who vanished by blocking them.”