NBCUniversal — the parent company of producers Universal TV — won an auction for the library after outbidding Netflix in a $100 million-per-year pact.
NBCUniversal’s June 25 announcement that it is pulling The Office from Netflix when that deal ends at the start of 2021 is the latest shot across the bow in the streaming wars, a signal that one-time TV hits are the new battlefield as the media giants fight to lure viewers to their direct-to-consumer offerings.
The news is not unexpected; as competing entities like Disney and NBCUniversal prepare to launch their own standalone streaming services, they’ve begun to terminate their content licensing deals with Netflix. Even so, losing The Office is a major blow for Netflix, as it consistently ranks among its most watched programs.
To replace the Michael Scott-sized void in its library, Netflix recently green-lit a new project from Office creator Daniels and Steve Carell called Space Force. The episodic comedy series is described as a workplace comedy centered around the individuals tasked with turning Donald Trump’s proposed Space Force into a reality. Carell is set to star in the series.
