Netflix, not ABC, signs hitmaker Rhimes
In a blow to ABC and Disney, television powerhouse Shonda Rhimes has signed an exclusive overall deal with Netflix, the streaming giant announced Monday.
Rhimes, the creator of the ABC hits “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Scandal,” will bring Shondaland to Netflix in what the streaming service said was a multiyear deal.
Those series and ones in development will remain on ABC, though Netflix already has the streaming rights for the back library of “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Scandal.”
Netflix’s move is a major counterpunch to Disney’s announcement last week that it was starting its own streaming services, including one that would force the removal of Disney and Pixar movies from Netflix. Netflix’s chief content officer, Ted Sarandos, said in a statement, “I’ve gotten the chance to know Shonda and she’s a true Netflixer at heart — she loves TV and films, she cares passionately about her work, and she delivers for her audience.”
Rhimes said in her own statement, “Ted provides a clear, fearless space for creators at Netflix. He understood what I was looking for — the opportunity to build a vibrant new storytelling home for writers with the unique creative freedom and instantaneous global reach provided by Netflix’s singular sense of innovation. The future of Shondaland at Netflix has limitless possibilities.”
Rhimes has been with ABC for more than a decade. She has been a reliable generator of hits, including building an entire Thursday night lineup that ABC’s marketing department has dubbed TGIT.
In a statement, ABC’s entertainment president, Channing Dungey, said, “I’m proud to have given a home to what have become some of the most celebrated and talked about shows on television.
“With the launch of a new season upon us, fans can rest assured that TGIT remains intact and will be as buzzed about as ever.”