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Shahid, Barajoun Entertainment Sign Partnership to Produce 5 Arabic Animation Features

Alberto, voiced by Jack Dylan Grazer (L), and Luca, voiced by Jacob Tremblay, eat ice cream in a scene from the animated film "Luca." (Photo by Disney via AP).
Alberto, voiced by Jack Dylan Grazer (L), and Luca, voiced by Jacob Tremblay, eat ice cream in a scene from the animated film "Luca." (Photo by Disney via AP).
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Shahid, Barajoun Entertainment Sign Partnership to Produce 5 Arabic Animation Features

Alberto, voiced by Jack Dylan Grazer (L), and Luca, voiced by Jacob Tremblay, eat ice cream in a scene from the animated film "Luca." (Photo by Disney via AP).
Alberto, voiced by Jack Dylan Grazer (L), and Luca, voiced by Jacob Tremblay, eat ice cream in a scene from the animated film "Luca." (Photo by Disney via AP).

Shahid Platform announced a partnership agreement with Arabic animation studio Barajoun Entertainment to produce five Arabic animation features that will be streamed as ‘Shahid Originals’ on Shahid VIP within the three coming years.

The agreement, announced on June 5, is aimed at enriching the Arabic content with original animation works based on Arabic stories and novels that target the Arabic and international audience alike, as well as motivating Arab content creators to raise their works to the global standard.

“We are thrilled to work with Barajoun Entertainment, an animation pioneer in the Arab region. Arabic spectators from all ages are excited to watch this type of popular works,” said Tareq Al-Ibrahim, director of Shahid VIP Content.

“It is important for us to tell stories that reflect the reality of the region, carry its values, reflect its history and even foresee its future. The partnership with Barajoun will contribute towards strengthening the animation industry in the entire region, elevating the industry to the global standard,” he added.

For his part, Ayman Jamal, founder and producer of Barajoun Entertainment, said “we support the creation of unique and valuable contents with high artistic and technical quality. We hope this move would foster the development of more Saudi and Arab talent working in the fields of writing, graphic design, modeling and animation, as well as performance and voice acting - all specialties of this vital industry that attracts viewers from across the world.”

“The partnership will not be limited to those five productions. Barjamoun will work with MBC Group to develop related animation productions, such as merchandise and games,” Jamal said.

The first collaborative project is based on a science fiction novel and is due to launch on Shahid VIP in July.

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Netflix’s ‘Missing You’ Lands in Time for New Year Binge Watch

In this photo illustration a computer screen displays the Netflix logo on March 31, 2020 in Arlington, Virginia. (AFP)
In this photo illustration a computer screen displays the Netflix logo on March 31, 2020 in Arlington, Virginia. (AFP)
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Netflix’s ‘Missing You’ Lands in Time for New Year Binge Watch

In this photo illustration a computer screen displays the Netflix logo on March 31, 2020 in Arlington, Virginia. (AFP)
In this photo illustration a computer screen displays the Netflix logo on March 31, 2020 in Arlington, Virginia. (AFP)

It’s Netflix’s resolution every new year to give viewers a headscratcher in January.

Since 2020, the streamer has released a UK miniseries based on thriller book by Harlan Coben over the holidays. It seems to have paid off: “Fool Me Once,” starring Michelle Keegan, Adeel Akhtar and Joanna Lumley, launched this past January and became what Netflix says was one of their most watched shows of the year, amassing 108 million views.

2025’s seasonal suspense series is “Missing You,” based on Coben’s 2014 New York Times bestseller. It stars Rosalind Eleazar (“Slow Horses”) as Detective Inspector Kat Donovan, a police officer who specializes in finding missing people — apart from the fiance that vanished 11 years earlier.

“They know Jan. 1 is the sweet spot for them,” says actor Richard Armitage, who has appeared in each winter Coben adaptation, which relocates the stories from the books' America to the north of England. “People have ownership over the show now, so like, ‘I want my Harlan Coben show on New Year’s Day. Give me my Harlan Coben fix.’”

“It’s perfect timing for the release, to be honest,” says co-star Ashley Walters. “Most people are going to be hung over or, you know, just not have anything to do with the day.”

The show opens with the shock of Donovan's ex-fiance (Walters) popping up on a dating app, over a decade after she came home one day to find him gone.

“I’ve ghosted people before,” laughs Armitage. “Just people you don’t want to talk to anymore. Not digitally though.”

Another star, Jessica Plummer, isn’t a fan of those who disappear without saying goodbye, though.

“I’d just feel too guilty,” she admits, calling it “cowardly and lazy — sorry Richard!”

Eleazar promises twists and turns along the way, adding that the actors weren’t initially given the final two scripts and had to turn to the book to find out what happens.

Coben “really is a genius at taking you up the wrong track,” says Eleazar. “You’re so sure that this time you’ve got it right and it’s this person or this thing, but you are inevitably always wrong.”

“I would love to know, actually, how he starts a book, you know? Does it start with an idea or does he think of the most inconceivable idea and go, ‘That’s how it’s going to end’?” she adds.

Armitage agrees that “Missing You” does justice to the “hair-raising” shock ending of the book; “It’s like the rug is pulled away at the last minute.”

And while audiences at home can binge-watch the whole five-part series as 2025 is still finding its feet, the cast will be busy with a variety of pastimes.

Lenny Henry, who portrays Kat’s father, jokes that he usually wakes up to a new year surrounded by roast potatoes, while wearing pajamas.

Armitage likes to be outside and start fresh by skiing down a mountain, while Eleazar has plans to celebrate in style: She and a group of friends have a tradition where they rent a castle and dress up in themed costumes.

Past New Year's Eve parties have included donning 18th century garb in France and last year’s Versace-themed fete.

“I will be celebrating and really hoping that everyone loves this show on the 1st,” she says.