Hot on the heels of Netflix snagging rights to all episodes of NBC’s hit drama series The Blacklist (for a reported $2 million per episode), the streaming giant has struck again, buying up rights to Fox’s Gotham in what is believed to be the first deal made for a broadcast show yet to premiere.
The series, a prequel to the Batman comics, will arrive in late September. With this new deal in place, Netflix has gained exclusive subscription VOD rights for Gotham in the U.S., territories in which Netflix operates, as well as some additional territories. Seasons of the show will become available on Netflix after their initial broadcast dates starting in fall of next year.
No word on how much Netflix shelled out for each episode of this series, but one can only imagine it didn’t come cheap. Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos said of the deal:
“Gotham is the most anticipated new series of the fall season and we are thrilled to offer it to our members around the world. The Batman origin story is sure to have massive global appeal so it is fitting that, along with Warner Television, we have created a new model for distributing a show that international and domestic audiences will love.”
Fox is positioning Gotham as a new flagship drama and has been promoting it as such, with dozens of ads, posters and interactive online previews. The show also had a big presence at Comic-Con earlier this year. All signs indicate that it is going to be huge, though it’s undeniably still a risky move for Netflix to swoop in this early – after all, anticipated series have flopped before (right, Almost Human, Terra Nova and Revolution?).
Ben McKenzie stars in Gotham as Jim Gordon, who will go on to become the police commissioner of crime-plagued Gotham City. In his early days, Gordon encounters rogues who will go on to menace the Caped Crusader, including Oswald Cobblepot (Robin Lord Taylor), Edward Nygma (Cory Michael Smith) and Selina Kyle (Camren Bicondova). Gordon also tangles with crime boss Fish Mooney (Jada Pinkett Smith), who controls Gotham’s criminal underworld.
Gotham premieres September 22nd on Fox. Will you be watching?
