Sony Pictures TV signs Moletown Drama creator to first-look deal

First-look deals were once largely the preserve of established Hollywood producers and writers. Now Sony Pictures Television has given one to a creator who built her audience on TikTok by staging soap operas with animal figurines.

Thea Von Engelbrechten, the Irish creator behind Moletown Drama, has signed a multiyear deal giving Sony first-look rights to develop and produce her original series. She has 2.1 million followers on TikTok and just under 1 million on Instagram.

The first project under the deal is Hazelwood, an animated microseries launching on YouTube on November 13 before episodes are released on TikTok and Instagram. Sony describes it as a “darkly comedic” soap opera following the dysfunctional residents of a woodland town.

Von Engelbrechten first found an audience during the pandemic with videos using Sylvanian Families figurines in humorous storylines. But she ran into trouble in 2023, when Epoch, the company behind the much-loved toy brand, sued her for copyright infringement. While Von Engelbrechten maintained that the videos were parody, the two eventually settled out of court, seeing her accounts renamed from Sylvanian Drama to Moletown Drama.

“Her ability to create endearing characters and place them in wonderfully inappropriate situations has earned her a passionate following,” Frank Ochoa, Sony’s vice president of adult animation, told Variety. “We’re excited to bring Hazelwood to life with her and help her develop whatever she dreams up next.”

Von Engelbrechten told Variety that Sony had given her creative freedom over the project. “They really understand creatives and the creative process, and have been so supportive in giving me the freedom to take the project in the direction I want,” she said.

Traditional studios are increasingly looking to online creators for new shows, amid pressure to find programming that can cut through with audiences already spending more of their time on digital platforms. That has seen Disney partner with Dhar Mann Studios on an original series, while Netflix has added creator-led shows including Sean Evans’ Hot Ones.