Hulu launches new original series

Online video service Hulu has launched a raft of new original series at its first ever annual upfront event in New York.

The platform, which is owned by Disney, NBC Universal and News Corp, announced four new series including a documentary series starring Entourage’s Adrian Grenier and an urban crime drama created by the writer of the smash hit video game Assassin’s Creed.

Upfront events are traditionally held by the major US broadcasters and cable networks to appeal to advertisers; this is the first time that a digital platform has held an event of this scale.

It is launching We Got Next, a basketball comedy from the Kenya Barris, a writer from Ice Cube’s Are We There Yet? and The Office writer Danny Leiner, and The Awesomes, an animated series created by Saturday Night Live star Seth Meyers. We Got Next will launch later this year and The Awesomes will debut next year.

Hulu is also developing Don’t Quit Your Daydream, based on Grenier’s documentary feature, and Flow, a scripted urban crime drama created by Michael “Dooma” Wendschuh, the creator of the EA gaming franchise Assassin’s Creed.