HONG KONG / SINGAPORE – Viu, a leading pan-regional OTT video service from PCCW Media Group, has teamed up with Warner Bros. International Television Production (WBITVP) to produce the latest international adaptation of the global phenomenon Pretty Little Liars. Localized in Bahasa and filmed in Bali, the series follows a group of four estranged undergrads whose group had fallen apart when their former leader went missing. The girls come back together in the face of danger, when they begin receiving messages from a mysterious figure known as “A”, who threatens to expose theirdarkest secrets.
Viu’s strategy is to produce compelling regional content with international production quality. In line with this, it will take Pretty Little Liars, which ran for seven seasons on ABC Family/Freeform in the United States and garnered 36 Teen Choice Awards during its run, and adapt it for Southeast Asia. This follows Viu’s success with the Viu Original, Endemol Shine’sThe Bridge, which was also an adaptation set in Southeast Asia.
Ms. Janice Lee, Managing Director of PCCW Media Group, said, “We engage local audiences by creating and adapting stories that have strong relevance. Pretty Little Liars is a proven show that resonates with younger viewers with similar profiles to our Viu audience, and we are pleased to begin our journey with WBITVP and bring it to our audience and platform. In line with our strategy to invest in creating content assets, in 2019 we will have a mix of Viu Original productions and will work with international partners on local adaptations that resonate with audiences in Asia.”
Mr. Andrew Zein, Senior Vice President, Creative, Format Development and Sales, WBITVP, said, “Viu is one of the market leaders in local storytelling, and we are excited to partner with them in transforming Pretty Little Liars into a Southeast Asian show that builds on the original, yet is also uniquely its own story, entertaining millions of people.”
The series is expected to begin airing late this year. Keeping with the tradition of multi-market, globally appealing shows, Pretty Little Liars is an Indonesia and Malaysia Viu co-production and will be available in all 17 of Viu’s worldwide markets simultaneously. Set in the fictional town of Amerta, the series will be filmed entirely on site in Indonesia’s crown jewel of Bali, and directed by award-winning filmmaker Emil Heradi (The Night Bus, Sagarmatha).
The cast represents the true diversity and talent of the region, headlined by Anya Geraldine as Hanna, Eyka Farhana as Ema, Valerie Thomas as Sabrina, Shindy Huang as Aria, and Yuki Kato as Alissa, as the famed lead quintet.
About Viu
Viu is a leading pan-regional over-the-top (OTT) video streaming service operated by PCCW Media Group. It is available in 17 markets including Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Myanmar in Asia, the Middle East countries of Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the newly launched South Africa.
Operating with both an ad-supported tier and a premium subscription tier with more features, Viu delivers premium Asian content in different genres from top content providers with local language subtitles as well as original production series under the ‘Viu Original’ initiative.
Viu offers users express delivery of telecast content, streaming and download features, and localized user interfaces. With the patented Dynamic Adaptive Transcoding technology, Viu can provide the best viewing experience regardless of device or network conditions.
The service can be accessed via Viu app (available for free on App Store and Google Play) on connected devices, e.g. smartphones and tablets, as well as on web by logging into www.viu.com.
About PCCW Media
The Media Group of PCCW is a leading, fully integrated multimedia and entertainment group in Hong Kong.
The Media Group operates the leading pay-TV service in Hong Kong under the Now TV brand delivering both self-produced and licensed content to its customers using IPTV technology. Now TV offers more than 160 linear channels and on demand library of local, Asian and international programming. Its premium content can also be accessed via the Now Player app. It is also a leading producer of Chinese language news, financial news and sports programming in addition to Asian infotainment content which complements its wide portfolio of licensed movie and international television content. PCCW Media also offers the Now E entertainment OTT (over-the-top) platform with international and Asian dramas, movies and world-class sports events, which is designed to meet the needs of viewers with Millennial lifestyle.
The Media Group is also engaged in the provision of OTT video service under the Viu brand in Hong Kong and 16 markets in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and India. In addition, MOOV is a hugely popular music digital streaming service in Hong Kong.
About PCCW Limited
PCCW Limited (SEHK: 0008) is a global company headquartered in Hong Kong which holds interests in telecommunications, media, IT solutions, property development and investment, and other businesses.
The Company holds a majority interest in the HKT Trust and HKT Limited, Hong Kong’s premier telecommunications service provider and leading operator in fixed-line, broadband and mobile communication services. HKT meets the needs of the Hong Kong public and local and international businesses with a wide range of services including local telephony, local data and broadband, international telecommunications, mobile, and other telecommunications businesses such as customer premises equipment sale, outsourcing, consulting, and contact centers.
PCCW also owns a fully integrated multimedia and entertainment group in Hong Kong, PCCW Media. PCCW Media operates the largest local pay-TV operation, Now TV, and is engaged in the provision of over-the-top (OTT) video service under the Viu brand in Hong Kong and other places in the region.
Through HK Television Entertainment Company Limited, PCCW also operates a domestic free television service in Hong Kong.
Also, wholly-owned by the Group, PCCW Solutions is a leading information technology outsourcing and business process outsourcing provider in Hong Kong and mainland China.
In addition, PCCW holds a majority interest in Pacific Century Premium Developments Limited, and other overseas investments. To learn more about PCCW, please visit www.pccw.com.
About Warner Bros. International Television Production:
Warner Bros. International Television Production (WBITVP) produces scripted and non-scripted programming through its network of local production operations in 14 countries across Europe, Australia and New Zealand. WBITVP’s production operations are responsible for both original programming as well as local versions of formats owned and controlled by the Warner Bros. Television Group, such as “The Bachelor,” “Little Big Shots,” “First Dates,” “Supernanny” and “Who Do You Think You Are?”. Where WBITVP has no local production capability, it licenses Warner Bros. formats to third parties.
