TelevisaUnivision Reveals Launch Date For New Global Streamer VIX And First Look Deal With Salma Hayek

TelevisaUnivision has decided to call its new Spanish-language content global streaming service ViX, tapping on the name of the VIX AVOD service acquired in 2021. The name was unveiled during a virtual event highlighting top-level content, talent, creators and a first-look deal with Salma Hayek’s company Ventanarosa Productions.ViX will offer more than 50,000 hours of Spanish-language original series, movies, live sports and live news, current Televisa and Univision hits, as well as access to an extensive library of top franchise content and formats from Televisa’s vault. 

The platform will have a two-tier service: free, ad-supported ViX, set to launch on March 31 and the premium paid subscription ViX+, scheduled to debut in the second half of 2022.

Pierluigi Gazzolo, President and Chief Transformation Officer of TelevisaUnivision described it as “the birth of the largest Spanish-language streaming platform in the world” that will target an “underserved” audience of “almost 600 million Spanish speakers in the world.”

Gazzolo stressed that “there is not one single global streamer that fully and exclusively targets them with Spanish-language first content. Only a fraction of the content that the current global streamers offer is originally produced in Spanish.” 

And that is an opportunity the company is doubling down on.

“With the assets and resources of Televisa-Univision, we’re on the cusp of launching something extraordinary,” TelevisaUnivision CEO Wade Davis said during the virtual presentation. “The history, the brands, the reach and trust of our audience, the content engine and library of the combined company are all coming together with two new ingredients: one, a massive capital commitment of billions of dollars on new Spanish-language content… and two, an extreme conviction in the opportunity for the world’s first large scale streaming service exclusively serving the Spanish speaking worlds.”

Rodrigo Mazon, EVP and GM of ViX+ said that in its first year, the premier tier will debut more than 50 original series and movies, averaging one new original per week. He also revealed a 2-year first look deal with Salma Hayek and her production company Ventanarosa to “produce a slate of films for ViX+.”

Hayek shared how her dream to make movies in Mexico led her to Hollywood but making it in the film industry was not easy.

“Twenty-five years later I can happily say things have changed. While we still have a lot of room to grow, it fills me with joy to see the number of opportunities for Latino artists to express themselves keeps growing every day,” she said. “That is why when Univision approached my company Ventanarosa with the opportunity to embark on this new adventure called ViX+ I had to say yes. I am very excited to announce our first project together is a romantic comedy titled Quiero tu vida.”

Hayek said the story is “set in the world of soccer, because this is such an important part of Latin American culture… and it’s my favorite sport” and it’s “the first of many stories I will be bringing” to the platform’s audience. 

The new streaming service will launch in the U.S., Mexico and most of Latin America. It will be available across all major platforms and via web at vix.com. The company’s existing streaming options, PrendeTV, Blim TV and the legacy VIX AVOD, will be incorporated into the new ViX platform in the coming months, in a way that will not interrupt the viewing experience for users. 

So what will be available in each tier?

ViX: 

ViX will curate 40,000 hours of programming, with more than 100 curated channels of broadcast-quality content and live programming, allowing consumers to easily discover content within the familiar interface of an electronic programming guide. 

Among the content offerings: classic novelas and mega-hits from Televisa, scripted and unscripted series, Hollywood blockbusters, indie movies and Latin American films; news from multiple worldwide sources, with top international channels on an exclusive basis for the Americas, including Noticias Univision 24/7 and a new streaming channel from Noticieros Televisa; and soccer matches, featuring some of the top leagues and tournaments in the world, as well as Zona TUDN, a new 24/7 sports news channel featuring talk-shows, analysis, commentary and exclusive interviews. 

ViX+:

Premium Spanish-language content with originals developed exclusively by some of the master Spanish-language creators and storytellers. That includes deals with Salma Hayek’s Ventanarosa Productions, Eugenio Derbez and Ben Odell’s 3Pas Studios, Maria Dueñas, Mario Vargas Llosa, Santiago Limón and Propagate’s Ben Silverman and an original docuseries produced by Selena Gomez .

Mexico’s movie powerhouse Videocine will premiere many original productions exclusively on ViX+ in Mexico in the first year of the service. Some titles will also be available in the U.S. ViX+ will also stream more than 3,000 live soccer matches a year.

ViX+ programming that will premiere in the first year includes:

ViX+ Original Series

• “Mi Vecino El Cartel” (The Cartel Among Us): From executive producer Selena Gomez, this true-crime documentary series tells the complex and intriguing story of a murder that rocked a quiet suburban town in Texas and launched a multi-year international investigation. (Production: July Moon Productions and Blackfin). 
• “Nautilus”: Based on a true story, written by Clayton Trussell (“Narcos”) and directed by Ariel Vromen (“The Iceman”), this Colombian-Spanish production tells the story of a policewoman in the almost impossible mission to investigate a group of criminals on a four-week journey aboard a submarine across the Atlantic. (Production: Dynamo and Mediacrest).  
• “La Hora Marcada” (Time’s up): From Televisa’s IP vault, this anthology series is a reboot of the ’80s horror series “La Hora Marcada,” which launched the careers of some of Mexico’s most acclaimed filmmakers including Alfonso Cuarón, Guillermo del Toro, and Emmanuel Lubezki. This franchise will – once again – be a showcase for a new wave of Latin American writers and directors of the genre as they lead this fresh take on a cult classic. (Production: W Studios). 
• “Las Pelotaris” (The Pelotaris) [Working Title]: As part of a multi-title deal with top Spanish production company The Mediapro Studio, “Las Pelotaris” is a drama created by Marc Cistaré (“Vis a Vis,” “El Barco,” “La Víctima Número 8”) set in 1930s Spain and Mexico, in which three female racket players navigate a male-dominated world of rivalry and corruption. 
• “Marea Alta” (High Seas): Filming in Tijuana and Ensenada later this year and written by Antón Goenechea (“Perdida”) and directed by Roger Gual (“Las Chicas del Cable”), this thriller is a whodunnit series targeting a young adult audience. (Production: El Estudio).  
• “Los Artistas” (The Artists) [Working Title]: As part of a first-look deal with bestselling author Maria Dueñas, her first direct-to-series project is a high-stakes heist story of deceit, forgery and suspense, set in the rarified world of multi-million-dollar art. (Production: Pow Wow and Islas Audiovisual).  
• “Travesuras de la Niña Mala” (Bad Girl): Adapted from the novel written by Nobel Laureate Mario Vargas Llosa, this epic love story starts in the 1960s and plays across Lima, Paris, Madrid, Tokyo, London and other incredible destinations. (Production: W Studios).  
• “Pinches Momias”: From talented writer-director Santiago Limón and the Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning executive producer Ben Silverman (“The Office,” “Jane the Virgin,” “Ugly Betty”), this young-adult series blends action, horror and comedy. (Production: Propagate and Perro Azul). 
• Pedro Infante and Maria Felix Bio Series:  Two original series depicting the lives of two acclaimed Mexican icons, Pedro Infante and Maria Felix, “La Doña.” (Production: Televisa Studios). 

ViX+ Novelas  

• “Senda Prohibida” (Forbidden Path): Written by Giselle González (“Cuna de Lobos,” “Caer en Tentación,” “Imperio de Mentiras”), this modern reimagining of Televisa’s very first novela, focuses on Nora, who destroys a happy family to achieve the life of style and luxury she’s always dreamed of. (Production: Televisa Studios).  
• “La Mujer del Diablo” (The Devil’s Woman): Starring Carolina Miranda and José Ron and written by Leonardo Padrón (“Si Nos Dejan,” “Rubí,” “Amar a Muerte”), this drama tells an unconventional love story of obsession and revenge. (Production: W Studios).  
• “Más Allá de Ti” (Beyond You): From top producer Rosy Ocampo (“Vencer el pasado,” “Vencer el desamor,” “Vencer el miedo,” “La Doble Vida de Estela Carrillo,” “La Fuerza del Destino”), this supernatural tale features a woman who discovers she can communicate with the dead, which will result in unknown consequences for the living. (Production: Televisa Studios).  

ViX+ Original Movies

• “Quiero Tu Vida” (I Want Your Life): As part of a first-look deal with Salma Hayek Pinault’s Ventanarosa Productions, this romantic fantasy set in the soccer world tells a wonderful story about a superfan who wakes up one morning in the body of a famous soccer player superstar and learns that his favorite sport is not all fun and games. (Production: Ventanarosa Productions). 
• “Jenni”: Brought to ViX+ by Mucho Mas Media, the movie is based on the life of the late Mexican American idol Jenni Rivera; this biopic is produced by Hollywood creators Javier Chapa and Donald De Line.

Among the original Videocine movies coming to ViX+ are: 

• “Presencias” (Presences): Starring Academy Award nominee Yalitza Aparicio and Alberto Ammann, this suspense and horror story features strange events after a man decides to mourn his wife’s death in the woods. A Dream Assignment production directed and produced by Luis Mandoki (“Message in a Bottle,” “When a Man Loves a Woman,” “Innocent Voices”). 
• “Enfermo Amor” (Lovesick): Starring Camila Sodi, Eréndira Ibarra and Juan Pablo Medina, among many renown talent, this unlove story will touch millions of hearts with one of the greatest Mexican ensemble casts of all times.  
• “Las Leyendas, El Origen” (Legends, The Origin): This animated film is the sixth installment of one of the most important and relevant animation franchises in the Spanish-speaking world, a big hit through the years.  
• “Mirreyes contra Godínez 2, El Retiro” (Mirreyes vs. Godinez 2, The Retreat): This hilarious film is the sequel to “Mirreyes contra Godínez” (2019), a successful film that deeply resonates and connects with Hispanic audiences. Produced by Draco Films. 

ViX+ Sports Docuseries

• “La Sangre y la Gloria” (Blood and Glory) [Working Title]: Produced by The Mediapro Studio, this docuseries features true crime sports cases.  
• “Brasil 2002, La Verdadera Historia” (Brazil 2002, The Real Story): Directed by Luis Ara, this docuseries celebrates the 20th anniversary of Brazil’s World Cup victory with exclusive footage from Juliano Belletti, and interviews with Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos. Produced by Collective Media and Entourage Sports and Entertainment, in association with Trailer Films. 
• “Al Grito de Guerra”: A look at the Mexican National Team and their infamous ‘curse of the fifth game’, produced by El Estudio. 

LIVE Soccer Offering:   

• In the U.S., ViX+ will deliver the most impressive soccer offering to fans with four Liga MX teams and a variety of leagues and tournaments from Central and South America, while also serving as the exclusive Spanish-language home of all the UEFA Champions League matches.  
• In Mexico, ViX+ will be the home of Mexican soccer, providing audiences with access to more Liga MX matches than they can see anywhere else, as well as all Mexican National Team games and the largest sporting events featuring Mexican athletes.  
• In Mexico, both ViX and ViX+ will deliver the most comprehensive 2022 World Cup coverage, with 40 live games, 30 on ViX and 10 matches that can only be watched exclusively on ViX+, with game around the game content and extended coverage of the tournament from Mexico and Qatar through the Zona TUDN Sports channel.

“Our new service is not a reskinning of a TV offering,” said Davis. “What we are building is incremental to our TV business.”