Netflix will get more huge movies and shows from the likes of Hulu and HBO soon – but it’s not planning to return the favor
We have good news for Netflix subscribers: your viewing choices are about to get bigger. Studios that previously kept their shows to themselves are starting to license Netflix again – and while they won't be giving away their crown jewels, there will still be some welcome additions.
If The New York Times According to reports (paywall), studios including Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery, their non-Netflix views. They won't be licensing programs like Game of Thrones or the Star Wars movies to Netflix, but series such as Young Sheldon and blockbuster films, including Dune And Prometheus are sent to the streamer in exchange for cash.
This seems like a win-win-win situation. Netflix is getting more movies and shows, making the offering more attractive. Studios get more money. And we get more choice of the best streaming service.
What about the studios' change in strategy?
As you know, in the early days of streaming, it felt like Netflix had absolutely everything. Chances were if a show or movie was available to stream, it was also available to stream from Netflix. But then many studios changed their minds and decided that they would much rather have their own separate streaming services, so they started keeping their shows to themselves.
Several years later, it seems that may not have been the best strategy. As The New York Times notes, “most streaming services don't make any money” and Netflix has more than double the subscribers of Warner Bros. Discoveries Max. So instead of keeping all their content for themselves, studios are increasingly open to licensing it to rivals as well.
The publication goes on to say that some of the best Disney Plus shows are inclusive Prison Break, this is us, how I met your mother, lost and more in the coming months. This isn't the only licensing deal Netflix has in place – it currently has limited licenses to films from Sony Pictures and Universal Pictures – and the deals won't necessarily be exclusive to Netflix, either. Many titles will also be available on Disney-owned Amazon and Hulu.
An interesting detail from The New York Times piece is that all this traffic is one-way, at least for now. Although Netflix makes its own shows and movies, it does not have a licensing department and has no plans to start one. According to CEO Ted Sarandos, “I think we can add tremendous value if we license content. (But) I'm not sure it's reciprocal.”