Briana KoenemanAttention, Batman fans — if you don't already have one, you might want to consider getting a Netflix subscription.
Netflix announced it has officially struck a deal with Warner Bros. to secure the streaming rights for the upcoming Fox drama series "Gotham" — a new show that documents life in the city following Detective James Gordon. (Video via Fox / "Gotham")
Netflix's chief content officer said in a statement Tuesday: "Gotham is the most anticipated new series of the fall season. ... The Batman origin story is sure to have massive global appeal so it is fitting that, along with Warner Television, we have created a new model for distributing a show that international and domestic audiences will love."
And Warner Bros. seems to share that excitement. Deadline quotes the company's president: "In this era of new business models and expanding windows, this is an unprecedented deal for our company and our industry."
The agreement is a pretty big deal, considering "Gotham" hasn't even aired its first episode yet.
According to Deadline, the deal was set into motion not long after the "Gotham" pilot got rave reviews at the L.A. international screenings in May. The outlet says it's "hearing" the agreement could get Warner Bros. around $1.75 million an episode, but that number has yet to be confirmed.
And on top of that, Variety notes the deal also grants Netflix rights to the show in all of the company's territories around the world instead of the typical country-by-country rights.
"Gotham" is not the first network show Netflix has grabbed. Just last week, the company announced it had nabbed NBC drama "The Blacklist" for $2 million an episode. (Video via NBC / "The Blacklist")
But a writer for the Los Angeles Times notes the "Gotham" deal is a riskier venture because it's still largely untested with viewers.
But it could be worth the risk. Netflix has been hooking U.S. viewers for years, but the company needs foreign subscribers to fuel its growth in the future.
As The Wall Street Journal points out, "Launching new markets is costly and weighs on profits — but securing rights to top Hollywood shows can help ease the entry process."
"Gotham" episodes will reportedly be available on Netflix late next year. The series' first season airs in the U.S. on Sept. 22.
