Game Of Thrones‘ ending may not have satisfied many fans, but it’s still made series showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss very rich men. The duo have signed a nine-figure overall deal with Netflix to “write, produce and direct new series and films”. Amazon and Disney were both reportedly close to locking down the duo, but Netflix eventually won out.
Netflix’s Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos said of the duo a statement: “They are a creative force and have delighted audiences worldwide with their epic storytelling. We can’t wait to see what their imaginations will bring to our members”.
It’s interesting that Disney weren’t able to secure a deal with the duo, as they are working on their own trilogy of Star Wars movies. It’s hard to imagine Netflix offered significantly more money than the Mouse House, so perhaps they gave them the sort of creative freedom Disney couldn’t promise.
Disney CEO Bob Iger back in May that: “We did a deal with David Benioff and D.B Weiss, who are famous for Game of Thrones, and the next movie that we release will be theirs”. That obviously is no longer the case, and it’s probably pretty disappointing for Disney that the direct competitor they’re trying to compete against just stole two valuable creative figures from under their noses.
Benioff and Weiss may not have the greatest reputation right now, but anything they make will likely garner plenty of interest. Netflix have never been shy about throwing money at influential creative figures. They’ve signed Kenya Barris, Shonda Rhimes and even Barack and Michelle Obama to deals. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
We’ll now wait and see what Benioff and Weiss can create outside of the confines of George R.R. Martin source material.
#Peace.Love.Netflix
