UPDATED 9/26, 10:30 a.m.: The Seinfeld-to-Netflix bargain ran the streaming service a reported $500 million or more. Unsurprisingly, very rich men/co-creators Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld are supposed to take $100-150 million apiece, one source tells The Wrap. The site’s other source was it’s “significantly higher.”
Just a reminder that Seinfeld finished its run over 21 years ago.
See original story below.
Netflix announced Monday that it has successfully bagged the rights to the comedy classic Seinfeld, becoming the exclusive home of the adored-across-generations series starting in 2021.
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Netflix's deal with Sony Pictures Television—to the tune of over $500 million, THR says—means that when Hulu's current Seinfeld agreement wraps in 2021, it'll become the go-to streaming platform for fans for at least five years. Per Deadline, the deal also marks the first time that all 180 episodes of the series will be globally available on one service. Also, it'll be in 4K.
The show was said to have been pitched to several possible streaming partners, including HBO Max, with a money target "similar to" those achieved in recent deals for other 90s-era comedy hits with an extended second life in the streaming age.
For now, Seinfeld can currently be found on Hulu, where it celebrated its 30th anniversary in July with the launch of a slate of special features including a "The Yada Yada"-themed episode shuffle option. The show premiered in July 1989 and wrapped its nine-season existence in May 1998.
The Netflix move makes sense for star and co-creator Jerry Seinfeld, whose Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee relocated to the platform from Crackle in 2018.
Seinfeld alum Jason Alexander got filmed and generally bothered by a TMZ contributor in August, with the topic of conversation honors being awarded to the then-in-progress streaming negotiations. As Alexander explained, "none of that" type of money goes to him, so his only opinion on the show's post-Hulu location is one of gratitude for its longevity.
"I can't believe it's still out there making people happy, so as long as people can get to it, power to 'em," he said at the time.