“The Walking Dead” is staying on Netflix after all, and it’s bringing some friends with it. The beloved and critically-acclaimed zombie show as well as all six of its spinoffs will be streaming on both Netflix and AMC+ as part of five-year, co-exclusive deal between the two companies that is worth $500 million. The news was announced on Thursday morning as part of AMC Global Media’s second quarter earnings report.
Staring in 2027, “Fear the Walking Dead,” “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon,” “The Walking Dead: Dead City,” “The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live,” “The Walking Dead: World Beyond” and “Tales of The Walking Dead” will come to Netflix globally while also remaining on AMC+ where available. The agreement includes 371 episodes altogether. Licenses for different series will begin on different dates in different territories depending on the expiration of existing streaming licenses.
That’s not all. The deal will also expand the reach of “The Walking Dead” on Netflix. As part of this new agreement, the service that has been the streaming home for the series since 2011 will be able to air the drama in new territories including the U.K., Italy, Australia and New Zealand.
“Audiences have discovered and loved ‘The Walking Dead’ on Netflix for nearly 15 years and the show continues to attract new fans,” said Lori Conkling, vice president of licensing at Netflix. “We’re excited to partner with AMC Global Media to continue to expand that access to more audiences around the world and bring the entirety of The Walking Dead Universe to Netflix.”
“We are thrilled to expand our long-time partnership with Netflix around ‘The Walking Dead,’” said Kristin Dolan, CEO of AMC Global Media. “This deal creates a global destination for this universe — all shows, all episodes — making the franchise more accessible than ever to fans around the world. In addition, the co-exclusive agreement allows us to bring the original series to AMC+ for the first time early next year. Netflix has been an important partner in making The Walking Dead one of the most successful franchises in the history of entertainment. This agreement is a fantastic result for our companies, for the fans and for this timeless IP.”
This is big news for AMC Global Media. As cable viewership has continued to decline, one of the company’s big assets has remained the streaming rights to “The Walking Dead.”
