Netflix has been right up there with its online video streaming rivals as far as original content is concerned. The company has already spent hundreds of millions of dollars on production of original content, which has generally been praised by critics and the public alike. Look no further than House of Cards, a political thriller that has already been renewed for a third season. Rumor has it that Netflix is now close to signing a deal for its next major series called The Crown and it may end up costing the company more than House of Cards did.
To set its offering apart Netflix has invested heavily in original content. Two of its most popular shows have the same production values like shows on premium cable networks. Netflix reportedly paid $100 million just to get exclusive rights to the first two seasons of House of Cards from the production company, and while it doesn’t disclose viewership figures, it has repeatedly referred to the show as a hit.
The Crown is said to be a period drama written by Peter Morgan of the Frost/Nixon and The Queen fame. TechCrunch hears that the show will follow Queen Elizabeth II through the course of many historical events that took place during her reign and that an initial concept for the show was to have different actresses portray the Queen at different phases of her life.
Apparently the show is being produced by Sony Pictures Television which is behind popular shows like Breaking Bad and Damages. Its possible that Netflix might commit to the first two season this time around as well but that hasn’t been confirmed.
The online streaming service’s subscriber base has significantly increased following the release of Orange Is The New Black and its “semi-original” Arrested Development season four. So far it looks like the investment has contributed to growth and Netflix may continue to lean on original content to ensure that it doesn’t lose the momentum to its rivals.
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