In its latest major talent coup, Netflix has signed Game Of Thrones creators David Benioff and D B Weiss to an exclusive multi-year deal believed to be worth a couple of hundred million dollars to write, produce and direct new TV series and features.
Benioff and Weiss, who have been based at HBO for a decade steering the premium cable network’s just-concluded blockbuster fantasy series, have been in talks about a new deal for months.
As well as Netflix, HBO parent WarnerMedia, Amazon, Disney and Apple are believed to have held talks with the duo.
The dollar amount of the Netflix deal makes it comparable to the deals the global streamer has previously signed with Shonda Rhimes and Ryan Murphy.
Benioff and Weiss are currently writing (with George Lucas) and producing one of the upcoming Star Wars feature trilogies for Disney’s Lucasfilm and developing feature projects including Dirty White Boys. They are attached as executive producers to three of the Game Of Thrones spin-off series in the works at HBO.
“We are thrilled to welcome master storytellers David Benioff and Dan Weiss to Netflix,” Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos said in 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.”
Benioff and Weiss added: “We’ve had a beautiful run with HBO for more than a decade and we’re grateful to everyone there for always making us feel at home. Over the past few months we’ve spent many hours talking to Cindy Holland and Peter Friedlander, as well as Ted Sarandos and Scott Stuber [Netflix head of original films].
“We remember the same shots from the same ‘80s movies; we love the same books; we’re excited about the same storytelling possibilities. Netflix has built something astounding and unprecedented, and we’re honored they invited us to join them.”
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