LONDON: Disney+ said on Wednesday it would release the first Walt Disney film dubbed in the Saudi dialect, casting Saudi actors and content creators in a localized version of “Toy Story 5” as the streaming service expands its services in the Middle East. The film will premiere on Disney+ on Oct. 6, the company said at an event in Riyadh. The date will also mark the rollout of a redesigned Disney+ app across the Middle East and North Africa, with expanded personalization, travel viewing and parental-control features, Asharq Al-Awsat reported. Disney+ said the Saudi-dialect edition was adapted for local language, humor and cultural context while preserving the original story and characters. The initiative reflects growing demand for entertainment that speaks more directly to Saudi audiences as the Kingdom’s film and media industries expand. Ibrahim Al-Khairallah will voice Buzz Lightyear, while Sohaib Quddus will play Woody and Reem Al-Habib will voice Jessie. Malik Nejer, Aseel Siraj and Yasser Al-Saggaf are also among the cast, alongside Aseel Murraya, Mohammed Al-Qass, Abdullah Rafaa, Shahd Al-Ahmari, Rahaf Al-Zaidi and Fares Al-Yahya. The dubbed version also features Saudi content creators Mohammed Salem, Khawla Al-Saif, Yasmin Al-Shafie, Abdulaziz Khoja, Hadi Al-Khudairi, Adel Radwan, Abdulaziz Al-Dulaijan and Mohammed Shamsi. Al-Khairallah said that voicing Buzz Lightyear in the Saudi dialect represented an important opportunity for local artists and reflected the changing Saudi entertainment landscape. “Having Saudi actors voice internationally known characters is an important step for local artists,” he said, adding that he hoped the project would give Saudi talent a stronger role in global productions. The app upgrade, meanwhile, is designed to make the service more portable and more tailored to individual households. Disney+ said subscribers would be able to access content while traveling in the Middle East, Europe, the US and other locations. Its recommendation system, the company added, would increasingly adapt to viewers’ habits over time. A new children’s section, called “Kids’ World,” will offer age-appropriate shows, while strengthened parental controls will allow families to restrict adult content and create PIN-protected profiles. Tamim Fares, head of Disney+ for the Middle East and North Africa, said the changes responded to shifts in viewing habits and were intended to pair the company’s global franchises with a service designed around audiences’ daily lives and travel patterns. “Creating a family-friendly viewing experience remains a priority,” Fares said, citing the service’s plans to broaden its library and improve the app’s technology.