By: Nick Gambino
In the next few months, Netflix will lose a number of popular third-party shows, leaving the streaming giant’s future a bit uncertain.
As the streaming sphere continues to ramp up with a number of different networks and studios launching their own platforms, Netflix will soon rely almost entirely on its original programming like Stranger Things and…Stranger Things.
The first blow to their library of titles came when Disney announced their plan to launch their own service, eventually titled Disney+. This move will see Disney taking their entire library of movies and shows off of Netflix. Said library is pretty large considering Disney owns Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm and just finished acquiring 20th Century Fox. That means goodbye Star Wars, goodbye Marvel movies and shows (Daredevil, Jessica Jones, The Punisher, etc.) and goodbye Fox and FX shows like Family Guy and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Thankfully, Disney has set their subscription price at only $6.99 a month or $69.99 a year, but we don’t know if the platform will include those Fox shows or whether they will only be on Hulu, which Disney also owns.
Add to that NBCUniversal’s recently announced streaming service and HBO Max, and now you’ve really got a full-scale riot on your hands. Little shows like Friends and The Office are leaving Netflix over the next few months, despite their best efforts to keep them. Friends will be moving to HBO Max (which will also carry long-awaited The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) and The Office will go to NBCUniversal’s service.
Say what you want about Netflix’s current predicament, one thing they have is foresight. They have been producing original movies and shows in a mad dash over the last few years, spending upwards of $6 billion a year to do so.
Only now does this make sense as all of the content that practically built their subscriber base is leaving. They needed something to replace it and they knew it before the rest of us. Luckily, they’ve had some pretty big hits with shows like Stranger Things and House of Cards and with strong whispers of an Eddie Murphy stand-up special on the horizon…oooh boy!
I still have faith in Netflix carrying quality content but their future as the King of Streaming is less certain. Soon it will be Netflix, Hulu, Prime, HBO Max, NBCUniversal, Disney+ and chill?
