Barack Obama and Michelle Obama signed by Netflix to produce films, boycott formed by conservatives
For years, Barack and Michelle Obama took their message directly to the people. They’re doing it again, this time in a slightly different way. (Adweek)
photo donkeyhotey
The Obamas have entered into a “multi-year agreement” to produce films, documentaries and various series for Netflix, the company announced Monday. The company said in a tweet that the wide-ranging contract includes the potential for scripted series, unscripted series, docu-series, documentaries and feature films. (Politico)
Representatives for Netflix and the Obamas declined to comment on the deal’s details, including the timeline for their projects or what subjects the Obamas might explore. A source close to the deal told HuffPost that the earliest the Obamas’ work would appear on the streaming platform would be in late 2019. (HuffPost)
“We hope to cultivate and curate the talented, inspiring, creative voices who are able to promote greater empathy and understanding between peoples, and help them share their stories with the entire world,” the former President said in a statement.
Netflix’s content chief Ted Sarandos said in a statement that the Obamas are “uniquely positioned to discover and highlight stories of people who make a difference in their communities and strive to change the world for the better.”
Sometimes the former president and first lady will be on camera as hosts or moderators, the source said on condition of anonymity. In other cases they will stay behind the scenes as producers. Financial terms were not disclosed. (CNN)
Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos has a close relationship with the Obamas. His wife, Nicole Avant, served as U.S. ambassador to the Bahamas in President Obama’s first term in office. (Variety)
Some users are not thrilled with the move, threatening to exit Netflix altogether.
“Do you subscribe to Netflix?” one Twitter user asked on Monday. “Today they announced a multi-year deal with Barack and Michelle Obama. Please Cancel (sic) your subscription & show them this shall not stand!” Another person said that he “kinda liked Netflix,” but “now I have to cancel.”
“More political crap from Netflix,” another Twitter user wrote. “Many will cancel their subscriptions. Hope it was worth it.”
photo donkeyhotey donkeyhotey.wordpress.com
