Hulu Buys ‘The Promise: Finding My Mother’s Killer’ & ‘Invisible Boys’

EXCLUSIVE: Hulu is on the hunt for a killer in its latest true-crime series.

The Disney streamer has become the first buyer to board true-crime doc The Promise: Finding My Mother’s Killer from Banijay Rights and also acquired Australian LQBT drama series Invisible Boys from the London-based distributor.

The Promise comes from Workerbee, which is part of Banijay Entertainment’s Banijay UK, along with Advance Originals and Circle M+P. The series was financed by Banijay and other investors, we hear, before it was taken to market.

The three-part show centres around the decades-long quest of Iranian-American Pooneh Entezari, who spent more than 30 years pursuing her mother’s killer. Ultimately, she spent millions of her self-made fortune funding an investigation into the person who committed the killing and also sought to clear her father’s name after he was convicted of the crime.

Effie Entezari was murdered in an execution style outside the apartment where she lived in Vancouver in 1989 and her husband, Mike Entezari, was later convicted of the murder. He died in prison in 2019, but Pooneh’s investigation ultimately led a civil trial to conclude another man, Viktor Pell, was to blame. Douglas Perry from The Oregonian/Oregon Live first told the story last year.

“This is an extraordinary and deeply moving story of one woman’s unwavering determination to bring her mother’s killer to justice,” said Workerbee MD Michelle Chappell. “We had the privilege of following Pooneh’s journey over many years, never knowing where her search for the truth would lead. Her courage and persistence uncovered compelling evidence, revealing a story that is both a gripping investigation and a haunting portrait of an American dream that descended into tragedy.”

‘Invisible Boys’

Banijay Rights’ deal with Hulu also includes Stan original drama Invisible Boys, the coming-of-age series about a group of gay teens in the remote coastal town of Geraldton, Western Australia, after one is outed on social media.

Starring the likes of Joseph Zara , Aydan Calafiore, Zach Blampied, Joe Kloce, Pia Miranda and David Lyons, the show launched in Australia last year. It won Best Original Web Series at the IFFA Awards and was nominated for Peabody and AACTA Awards.

Nicholas Verso is the creator and director, and he produced alongside Tania Chambers. Feisty Dame Production and Asphodel Films made the series for Stan, in association with Stan. Screenwest, Lotterywest and the WA Regional Screen Fund provided funding, and aided development.

“Queer storytelling is having a moment, and it has never felt more important,” said Verso. “I’m thrilled that our horny, sweaty Australian contribution is coming to U.S. audiences. I can’t wait for viewers to fall in love with these messy boys and their journey towards strength, pride and compassion.”

For Banijay Rights, the deal is one of the most significant since we revealed it was merging with All3Media International (All3MI), the sales arm of All3Media.

Following the merger of Banijay Entertainment and RedBird IMI’s All3 assets, All3MI was subsumed into Banijay Rights, though the All3 business has continued to announce deals ahead of MIPCOM Cannes in October. All3MI boss Louise Pedersen left, with Banijay Rights CEO Cathy Payne running the enlarged business.

Lauren Farrar, SVP U.S. Sales, Banijay Rights, said today: “Invisible Boys and The Promise: Finding My Mother’s Killer are two very different stories, but are both built around the same thing we look for in every title we take to market: Bold storytelling that makes a lasting and powerful impression on audiences. We’re delighted to be bringing both to Hulu and to U.S. viewers.”

Both titles will have their U.S. premiere on Hulu and through the Hulu on Disney+ bundle, with launch dates to be announced.