StarzPlay secures exclusive MENA rights to CIA thriller ‘Special Ops: Lioness'
The series is a spy thriller that follows the leader of undercover CIA operations on the war on terror by enlisting female operatives that are known as Lionesses.
SVOD platform StarzPlay has secured exclusive MENA rights to Special Ops: Lioness, the acclaimed CIA thriller starring Zoe Saldaña, Nicole Kidman and Morgan Freeman. The series will be available exclusively on the platform starting June 5, 2025, with all 16 episodes from both seasons released as a complete box set.
Created by Taylor Sheridan, Special Ops: Lioness explores the intense world of undercover espionage through the lens of a covert CIA programme. At the heart of the story is operative Joe, played by Saldaña, who leads the recruitment of female operatives trained to embed themselves within dangerous enemy networks. The narrative pulls no punches in depicting the psychological and emotional toll of such clandestine missions, highlighting the sacrifices made by women whose identities and lives are often erased in service of national security.
The series features Nicole Kidman portraying Kaitlyn Meade, a high-ranking CIA official, and Morgan Freeman as US Secretary of State Edwin Mullins. Laysla De Oliveira stars as Marine Raider Cruz Manuelos, a new recruit whose journey into the Lioness program reveals the harrowing cost of service. Michael Kelly also stars as CIA officer Byron Westfield.
With its storyline,performances, and Sheridan's gritty realism, Special Ops: Lioness is set to be a major draw for viewers across the Middle East and North Africa.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
13 hours ago
- The National
How Bahrain's Ali Daylami became first person from Gulf to win a Tony Award
In an industry shaped by familiar choruses and blockbuster adaptations, news that an original musical about two star-crossed robots had won Broadway 's top prize made an impact from Manhattan to Manama. With it, Ali Daylami became the first Bahraini, and person from the Gulf overall, to receive a Tony Award as part of the team that produces Maybe Happy Ending, which won Best Musical earlier this month. It is a personal achievement, but also offers a path forward for a region more accustomed to experiencing drama from the seats. 'I'm definitely energised and inspired to keep going, to find new pieces and work that speak to me and hopefully resonates with people in the same way this show did.' Daylami tells The National from New York. 'But I would love nothing more than to bring that energy back home to the Mena region. Not just as a show, but as something that's built for us, by us.' Daylami is keenly aware his achievement represents something larger than a testament to personal perseverance. While producers and impresarios emerge from the US, Europe and increasingly Asia, Arab voices in the industry remain rare. That road to a Tony Award is arduous not because of a lack of talent, he notes, but due to the absence of supporting infrastructure. 'We are sorted when it comes to the infrastructure, as we can see with places like Dubai Opera and the Royal Opera House Muscat,' he says. 'While we know how to build the spaces, what is needed are places to develop local talent, like academies and conservatories that train performers, artists and artisans. That is beginning to happen now with places like the Sharjah Performing Arts Academy.' Dynamic content is also needed, Daylami adds, to widen the palette of regional audiences raised on familiar material. 'How many times can someone see Phantom of the Opera or Hamilton? A content strategy is also needed that appeals to artists who want to make the work, and to audiences who want to see it again.' Daylami's own foray to the stage began as an audience member in Dubai Opera. 'It all started for me when Les Miserables premiere at the Dubai Opera,' he says, referring to the 2016 Cameron Mackintosh production. 'That was a bespoke Dubai production with a western cast. And I said to myself, this is happening here now. I got to be part of it.' The experience crystallised the need to remove himself from his job at an advertising firm in Bahrain to study theatre management and producing at New York's Columbia University. 'I needed to have theatre credits to apply confidently for the programme,' he recalls. 'That was the challenge. So I said to myself that I have got to start somewhere.' That beginning was a local production of Piaf, a play by British playwright Pam Gems about the life of French singer and Second World War dissident Edith Piaf. Premiering at the Manama Theatre Club in 2019 and featuring a cast made up almost entirely of artists living in the kingdom, Daylami says its relative success revealed an important lesson he later carried with him to Broadway. 'The shows that work are the ones you can scale down – something you could do in a car park, a garage, a park or even a living room – and still carry that spirit, intimacy and ability to reach people on a personal level,' he says. ' Piaf was assembled locally in Bahrain with a fantastic team and amazing local talent and it remains one of my favourite experiences.' Following a stint as a creative consultant during preparations for the musical, Umm Kulthum: The Golden Era, ahead of its West End premiere at the London Palladium in 2020, Daylami had gained enough experience to join what he recalls as one of only two Arab students in Columbia University's theatre management programme. It was in New York amid the cut and thrust of the industry that he worked on as many jobs as he could, landing production stints on the blockbuster Wicked and the jukebox musical The Heart of Rock'n'Roll. While describing those experiences as useful CV-building exercises, Daylami became aware of an off-Broadway English adaptation of the Korean musical Maybe Happy Ending, which already proven to be a hit in its home country. 'My area of study at Columbia gave me a strong interest in what was happening internationally as well as on Broadway and in the West End, so I was always tracking what was going on globally,' he says. 'So with Maybe Happy Ending, I knew it had an amazing reputation overseas.' Admiring the show from the stands is one thing. Being part of the team that brought it to Broadway defied some industry conventions. Maybe Happy Ending is not a recognisable brand based on popular source material or a historical backdrop. And the story itself, a tender tale of two outdated helper robots in Seoul, is a difficult marketing pitch. Daylami says the decision to back it was not shaped by university coursework or commercial trends. It was pure instinct. 'It was the music. It was absolutely divine,' he says. 'It is optimistic, heartbreaking and honest. It reminded me why we go to the theatre in the first place.' After an admittedly slow start since premiering on Broadway last year, the risk began to pay off. 'Our show came in with a lot of scepticism, but people fully embraced it,' he says. 'I think this is a great statement for the industry to reward itself for taking a huge gamble and supporting great art and supporting new writers and new composers and new theatre makers.' Now with a Tony Award to his name and the production continuing to pack in audiences at New York's Belasco Theatre, Daylami is already looking for another hidden gem to bring back to the Gulf. 'I would love to move away from the touring model,' he says. 'I would love to create something that is more bespoke for the region. Something that speaks to the local audiences. Something that appeals to their own histories, their own passions and their own experiences.'
Zawya
5 days ago
- Zawya
TOD extends its exclusive English Premier League streaming rights in MENA until 2028
TOD, the leading sports and entertainment streaming platform in the MENA region, is thrilled to announce the extension of its exclusive digital streaming rights for the English Premier League (EPL) for the next three seasons. This milestone makes TOD the only streaming platform in the region where fans can watch every Premier League match, one of the world's most followed football competitions. It is a testament to TOD commitment to delivering unrivalled access to live sports, combining high-quality streaming with a personalised viewing experience. John-Paul McKerlie, VP of Marketing and Sales at TOD, expressed his enthusiasm for the extension, saying: 'The Premier League holds a special place in the hearts of football fans across the region, and we are proud to continue being their home for it. This extension reflects our ongoing mission to deliver not just games, but unforgettable moments, through live coverage, available in multiple languages and in the highest quality possible.' This step enables TOD to further enhance the digital football experience by offering: Live and on-demand coverage of every EPL match in HD and 4K. Interactive features, including real-time match stats, highlights, and multi-angle replays. Personalised content in Arabic, English, and French, tailored to local fans. Seamless access across mobile, smart TVs, and desktop devices. All Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City matches, along with every other Premier League team, will be streamed live on TOD when the new season kicks off. This will give fans across the MENA region front-row access to every thrilling moment, Beyond the Premier League, TOD continues to be the home of major global sports competitions, including the UEFA Champions League, LaLiga, NBA, Formula 1 and more, making it the region's go-to destination for live and on-demand sports. About TOD: TOD brings premium sports and entertainment content to viewers across the MENA region. The platform offers over 60,000 hours of premium Arabic, Turkish, International, Blockbuster, and Children's Entertainment content including titles from leading Western Studios. TOD is also the region's leading sports streaming platform for MENA, with exclusive rights to live-stream matches from various sporting events, including the UEFA Champions League, Premier League, LaLiga, Ligue 1, Bundesliga, Turkish Super Lig, Europa League, NBA, ONE Championship, Davis Cup, ATP Tour and all four Grand Slams among the notable ones. Learn more about TOD TV:
Dubai Eye
16-06-2025
- Dubai Eye
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Carrie-Anne Moss make magic in 'Fubar' season 2
Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger had to admit that it took him a lot of practice to nail the tango scene with co-star Carrie-Anne Moss for season 2 of the Netflix action-comedy series "Fubar". "We practiced. We practiced a lot, and she didn't need as much practice as I did, but I really practiced," the former California governor told Reuters. The Terminator actor recalled doing the first take for the dance scene and impressing everyone with how ready they were. "They just thought we were rehearsing, but they did not know that we were that prepared for the whole thing," Schwarzenegger said with a smile. Fubar season 2, created by Nick Santora and produced by Skydance Television and Blackjack Films, premiered on Netflix last Thursday. The story follows Luke Brunner, played by Schwarzenegger and his daughter Emma, played by Monica Barbaro, who are both CIA operatives. Their fellow CIA team members include Barry Putt, played by Milan Carter, Boro Polonia, played by Gabriel Luna, Roo Russell, played by Fortune Feimster and Aldon Reese, portrayed by Travis Van Winkle. In season 2, Brunner is back to working with his CIA team, but things take an unexpected turn when he encounters his ex-lover Greta Nelson, played by Carrie-Anne Moss. Greta is a former East German spy who ends up going up against Brunner in both the tango and a tussling battle.
