“Breaking Bad” and the prequel series “Better Call Saul” are among the big critics’ darlings, which also attract an audience of millions. The two series are undoubtedly highlights of television’s golden age – and both have been on Netflix for years.
As the saga of Paul-to-Saul lawyer Jimmy McGill comes to an end these days, Breaking Bad may soon be off Netflix.
According to a report by The Wrap, the series is one of several items on the service that will soon become unavailable unless a license renewal is reached. The current deal between Sony Television and Netflix will expire in early 2025. So far no agreement has been reached. Incidentally, other series are also affected by expiring contracts, such as “New Girl” and “How to Get Away With Murder” (the contracts here already expire in 2024).
Netflix deal also led to “El Camino”
The cooperation of the drama series with Netflix, which is also running on the US broadcaster AMC, certainly had its advantages, which made sense for both sides. Netflix co-produced the “Breaking Bad” film “El Camino”, which might not have been made without the streaming giant’s money.
On the other hand, the range of streaming channels has increased significantly in recent years, so there could also be other interested parties who want to sign both series. However, Sony had recently closed a larger deal with Netflix, which mainly included a large film package. All of this applies primarily to the US market.
As Netflix continues to lose subscribers, it’s very possible that the company is trying to spend big to keep big names in its repertoire. In order to increase sales, Netflix is now introducing new rules so that customers do not share accounts. A free, ad-supported offer could also come soon to attract new users.
Separate from all these mind games is the struggle of the producers for a new spin-off series of the “Breaking Bad” universe. But so far there has been nothing more than mind games. Recently, a separate story about drug detective Henry R. “Hank” Schrader was considered.