Hulu has grabbed exclusive streaming rights to several Warner Bros.-produced series, including Blindspot and Lucifer, Hulu and Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution said Thursday.
“We are honored to announce that, in our first licensing agreement with Warner Bros. Television, we will be bringing two of the year’s biggest hits, Blindspot and Lucifer, exclusively to Hulu,” said Craig Erwich, senior VP and head of content at Hulu in a statement.
The deal also includes Rizzoli & Isles, Smallville, Southland and The O.C. as well as some films.
The deal is interesting in light of the fact that Warner Bros.’ previous library deal with Netflix, created in 2011, expired at the end of 2015 and hasn’t been renewed. Meanwhile, Netflix appears to be backing off from buying off-network series and instead investing that money in creating original productions to which it owns global rights.
Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes also has said in earnings calls that he wants to step back from selling so many series to Netflix, and this could be an indication of that change. Finally, earlier this year, Time Warner was reportedly in talks to take a stake in Hulu, which is co-owned by 21st Century Fox, Comcast NBCUniversal and The Walt Disney Company.
RELATED: Time Warner Remains in Talks To Invest in Hulu
All episodes of season one of Blindspot and Lucifer will be available on Hulu following their first seasons on NBC and Fox, respectively. Blindspot, which broke out with its premiere last fall, was created by Martin Gero, who also executive produces with Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Mark Wellington and Marcos Siega. The series comes from Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, and stars Sullivan Stapleton and Jamie Alexander.
Lucifer, about the bored Lord of Hell who decides to come up to Earth and mix it up as an LA City cop, premiered on Fox in January. It’s produced by Jerry Bruckheimer Television in association with Warner Bros. Television and it’s based on characters created by Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth and Mike Dringenberg for DC Entertainment’s Vertigo imprint. Lucifer is executive produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, Jonathan Littman, Joe Henderson, Ildy Modrovich and Len Wiseman and stars Tom Ellis and Lauren German.
Five seasons of Rizzoli & Isles, which will soon premiere its seventh and last season on TNT, will be available on Hulu starting in April, with future seasons available after they air on TNT.
Library title The O.C., featuring Gotham star Benjamin McKenzie in his break-out role, will debut on Hulu in April with Southland and Smallville to join later this year.
Hulu also is currently streaming Warner Bros.-produced original series 11.22.63 from Bad Robot Productions and executive produced by J.J. Abrams, Stephen King, Bridget Carpenter, Kevin Macdonald, Bryan Burk and star James Franco.
READ MORE: Broadcasting & Cable
[Image courtesy of Giovanni Rufino/NBC]
Full disclosure: PromaxBDA Brief Editorial Director Paige Albiniak, the author of this article, also covers television for Broadcasting & Cable. Her story for that Web site is linked above.
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