Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
Netflix yada yada yada Seinfeld.
Variety has confirmed that the streaming giant has landed the global streaming rights to all 180 episodes the genre-defining sitcom. The deal was struck with Sony Pictures Television, which controls the distribution rights to the NBC series. It is a five-year deal which is set to begin in 2021.
“Seinfeld is a one-of-a-kind, iconic, culture-defining show,” said Mike Hopkins, chairman of Sony Pictures Television. “Now, 30 years after its premiere, Seinfeld remains center stage. We’re thrilled to be partnering with Netflix to bring this beloved series to current fans and new audiences around the globe.”
Hulu currently controls the domestic streaming rights to Seinfeld, with that deal set to expire in 2021. Amazon distributes the series internationally. When the Hulu deal was first reported in 2015, it was estimated the streamer was paying roughly $875,000 per episode for the series, or $160 million annually.
Seinfeld represents a major get for Netflix, with the streamer set to lose large parts of its library content in the coming years as more media conglomerates begin launching their own standalone streaming services. The NBCUniversal streaming service is set to take over streaming rights to The Office, consistently one of the most popular shows on Netflix, beginning in 2021. Meanwhile, WarnerMedia will become the exclusive streaming home to Friends upon the launch of HBO Max. Disney will also pull their content off of Netflix when they launch Disney Plus in November.
The LA Times first reported the Seinfeld-Netflix deal.
