Netflix has signed a new deal with John Boyega's UpperRoom Productions to deliver non-English language feature films with a focus on West and East Africa. The Star Wars star announced the partnership via Twitter on Tuesday, expressing his excitement to embark on this endeavour. "I am thrilled to announce that my production company, UpperRoom Productions, will be partnering with Netflix International, to develop a slate of non English feature films," he tweeted.
"We are proud to grow this arm of our business with a company that shares our vision," he added. The aim is to develop projects that include stories, cast, crew, characters, mythology, literary properties, and screenplays that are focused on African countries. "Africa has a rich history in storytelling and for Netflix, this partnership with John and UpperRoom presents an opportunity to further our investment in the continent while bringing unique African stories to our members both in Africa and around the world," said Netflix's VP of International Film, David Kosse.
For UpperRoom Productions, the partnership is about a commitment to "sourcing stories and creating content" that will allow audiences to see the world through "a new lens." Boyega's production company was founded in 2016, with Pacific Rim: Uprising serving as its first production credit in 2018.