Disney+ hires Philip Pratt to lead German originals
Disney+ has hired Philip Pratt, Amazon's longtime German originals chief, to lead its shows in German-speaking Europe.
Pratt takes the title of vice-president, Original Production for Germany, Switzerland and Austria, according to Deadline. He will join in early 2027 and will be based in Munich. Commissioning, meaning ordering and funding new programmes, across those three countries will sit with him.
He replaces Benjamina Mirnik-Voges, who is leaving Disney. Pratt will report to Angela Jain, Disney's content boss for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
It is a direct switch between rival streamers. Pratt spent 11 years at Amazon MGM Studios as Head of Original Productions. There he oversaw Maxton Hall – The World Between Us, the young-adult drama that became a signature German-language title for Prime Video.
At Disney, he inherits an active slate. Previous German originals from the organisation include Call My Agent Berlin, Sam – A Saxon and The Interpreter of Silence. The upcoming list features Vienna Game, Nele Neuhaus Monster and Under the Ice.
The appointment is part of a wider push for local shows. Disney aims to triple its number of international originals, meaning series made outside the United States for local audiences, over the next three years. Pratt follows Sonia Rovai, appointed as vice-president of Original Production in Italy, as the company puts local leaders in place across the continent.
That structure has been building for some time. Sofía Fábregas was appointed as vice-president of Original Productions for Iberia, covering Spain and Portugal, in an earlier stage of the expansion.
What makes this stand out is the focus on people who decide what gets made. A commissioning chief chooses which scripts go forward, which crews of hundreds get hired, and which stories get finished.
For viewers, this means continuity with a change of gatekeeper. The shows already announced will roll out on Disney+. The next wave of German, Swiss and Austrian ideas will go through Pratt once he starts.
There is a business reason to get that choice right in the region. Disney+ will introduce an advertising-supported subscription tier in Austria in November 2026, according to Broadband TV News. The plan, which charges a lower fee in exchange for showing adverts, gives audiences another way in to the service his programmes will supply.
