Wednesday remains one of the most popular shows on Netflix, more than a month after its release, which makes recent news about the Addams Family spin-off all the more surprising.
The Jenna Ortega-led series follows the only Addams daughter, Wednesday, during her attendance at Nevermore Academy. Its balance of dark humor, mystery, and charming weirdness quickly caught viewer attention, and helped to rocket the series to massive popularity. It’s been maintaining a top position on Netflix since it dropped, but recent news throws the show’s future into question.
Wednesday‘s massive popularity makes a second season all but certain, but ownership behind the Addams Family property could complicate things. The series is a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) product, and — according to the Independent — this could lead to a change-up in streaming platforms for season two. MGM and Amazon officially merged in 2022, and the deal could see MGM-owned properties — like Wednesday — make the move from Netflix to Amazon Prime.
Will Wednesday season two air on Amazon Prime?
Wednesday‘s future is still in limbo.
The coming-of-age fantasy story has all the makings of an enduringly popular property, but fans aren’t sure what to expect, as ownership over the story comes into question.
The show is inarguably an MGM property, but that doesn’t necessarily mean its time on Netflix has come to an end. Netflix is one of the biggest streaming services on the market, after all, and it debuted the Addams Family spin-off. It has power, when it comes to negotiations, and it will certainly work hard to retain the rights to its latest crowd-pleasing series. Its prospects are helped by a promise from Amazon that it won’t make all MGM content exclusive to Prime, but it isn’t enough of an assurance to comfort Netflix subscribers.
If the streamer loses out to MGM and Amazon, Wednesday is all but guaranteed to switch streaming homes. Amazon would be well-served by a fresh franchise with an already-established fanbase — after several expensive, but middling, 2022 releases — and fans are already eager for more Wednesday. Losing the series would additionally be a devastating blow for Netflix, which has seen its popularity plummet in 2022. The streamer’s tendency to cancel hugely popular shows — and make massively disliked decisions with others — has soured many of its subscribers. Teased changes to its subscription and sharing are only making matters worse, and losing a show like Wednesday could be a nail in its coffin.
Netflix is by no means on its way out, with shows like Stranger Things, The Umbrella Academy, and Squid Game still bringing viewers in by the thousands, but its business model seems to be struggling. Without some major changes — and the continued domination of shows like Wednesday — however, the platform could find itself forced into a corner.
As of now, Wednesday is still a Netflix property. Fans should expect all updates about the show — including news regarding its second season — to come from its current streamer, for the time being. Until Netflix, MGM, and Prime provide updates about the show changing services, it’s broadly expected to remain a Netflix property, but that could change at any time.
This article will be updated with any new developments.
Published: Jan 3, 2023 12:42 pm