Netflix Expands Its Reach with The Walking Dead Deal
The streaming giant has secured a massive licensing agreement worth $500 million to bring The Walking Dead Universe to global audiences.
Netflix has been the exclusive U.S. streaming home of The Walking Dead since 2011, but the new deal will share streaming access with AMC+, ending its more than decade-long exclusive hold on the series.
The deal is particularly notable because Netflix will not have exclusive rights. Instead, the company will share streaming access with AMC+, allowing fans to access the show in additional markets including the U.K., Italy, Australia, and New Zealand.
The $500 million price tag ranks among the most expensive television licensing deals in recent years. For comparison, HBO Max paid $425 million to bring “Friends” from Netflix to its platform in 2020.
- The move comes as recent data suggests many Netflix subscribers don't stick around for second seasons of newer shows, making established franchises with hundreds of episodes a safer bet for driving binge-watching and overall viewing hours.
A Growing List of Popular Shows on Netflix
The Walking Dead joins a growing list of popular shows Netflix has pursued to drive engagement. Over the years, it has spent billions securing streaming rights to series such as “The Office,” while earlier this year it also reached a deal to stream “Sesame Street.”
- The announcement provided a boost to AMC Networks' financial outlook, with the company unveiling the Netflix agreement alongside its quarterly earnings report on Thursday, using the deal to raise its forward guidance.
The Future of The Walking Dead
Beginning in 2027, Netflix subscribers around the world will also gain access to the franchise's entire slate of spin-offs, including “Fear the Walking Dead, “World Beyond Tales of the Walking Dead,” “Dead City,” “Daryl Dixon,” and “The Ones Who Live.”
The agreement also arrives as “Dead City” returns for its third season. Fans are also looking ahead to the final season of “Daryl Dixon,” scheduled to premiere in 2027.