OSN+ has secured exclusive regional streaming rights to the Arabic superhero series «THE 99» under a new agreement with 99 Kids Holdings Co. covering the 22 markets served by the platform.
The deal includes the exclusive streaming of an enhanced 4K version of the first season, as well as the season two premiere for audiences in the Middle East under an initial six-month exclusive window. OSN+ has also secured exclusive first-window rights to the third season, scheduled for release in 2027.
The series was created by Kuwaiti clinical psychologist and social entrepreneur Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa. «THE 99» has previously been distributed in 70 countries and translated into 16 languages after being launched as the first children’s intellectual property from the Arab world to achieve global success.
The animated series follows a diverse team of superheroes from different cultures, including the Emirati heroine Noora. Its stories revolve around values including tolerance, empathy, courage, kindness, compassion and understanding.
Teresa Rio, vice president of marketing at OSN+ and Anghami, said the platform was pleased to welcome «THE 99» and to be the first streaming platform to bring the second season to audiences across the region.
Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa said the series’ characters had been waiting for the right time to return and claim their place among the world’s leading superhero franchises, adding: «Today, that time has come».
According to the announcement, the relaunch is part of a broader plan to revive «THE 99», going beyond the enhanced version of the 52-episode animated series. The plan includes a third season, graphic novels and video games, with the aim of expanding the series’ presence across multiple entertainment platforms for a new generation of audiences in the Middle East and around the world.
The series has received recognition from organizations including the United Nations, the World Economic Forum and the Young Presidents’ Organization. Former US President Barack Obama also highlighted Al-Mutawa and «THE 99» during the 2010 Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship, in the context of promoting dialogue between Muslim communities and the United States.
The series was later screened at the New York Film Festival in 2012 and then presented under the patronage of the late Emir of Kuwait, His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. In 2015, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, awarded Al-Mutawa the Islamic Economy Award in the Media category in recognition of the series.
«THE 99» also expanded into a comic-book series created in partnership with DC, in which its characters appeared alongside Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and the Justice League. The series was co-produced by Endemol, now part of Banijay, and written by Stan Berkowitz, known for his work on «Batman» and «Superman», and Fabian Nicieza, co-creator of «Deadpool» and a writer for «X-Men».
