Last Wednesday, People Magazine reported that Netflix does not plan on renewing their contract with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. While People quoted and used an (unhinged) exclusive from the Sun, it was clear that People wouldn’t have run the story without their own industry sources and confirmation. Obviously, there’s a difference between “Netflix isn’t renewing their contract with the Sussexes” versus “Netflix is totally done with the Sussexes.” It seems very likely that Netflix still wants to be in business with Meghan in particular, and it’s more than likely that there will be some kind of tailored deal where Netflix is still in partnership with Meg on With Love, Meghan and As Ever, plus some kind of first-look deal similar to what Netflix has with the Obamas. Well, according to the Mail (who even knows), the Sun and People Mag reports came out while Meghan is still negotiating her deal with Netflix.
The Duchess of Sussex is locked in negotiations for a second contract with Netflix. The streaming giant has decided to draw up a new deal with Meghan after the Sussexes’ £73 million five-year contract comes to an end in September. Reports last week claimed that Netflix were going to drop the couple, having decided that the arrangement with them had ‘run its course’.
But the Mail on Sunday can reveal that the second series of With Love, Meghan will be the first show to air under the renewed agreement and it is due for release this autumn. Last night, sources close to the streaming giant said: ‘Make no mistake – a deal is being worked through as we speak.’
While the finer details remain a closely guarded secret, it is expected that the duchess is unlikely to secure the same financial deal she did previously when the couple first walked away from their role as senior Royals. It is also not thought that Harry, whose vanity project, Polo, about the sport, was watched by just 500,000 people and rated at only 3,436th in the Netflix charts, will [not] form a major part of the new contract as he is increasingly focused on his charity work.
Meanwhile, interest in former actress Meghan, who starred in legal drama series Suits, which remains one of the streaming service’s top shows, continues to be higher.
The source added: ‘If you’re in the top third of Netflix, you’re getting another deal.’
It is understood that Meghan’s new series was filmed at the same time as series one was recorded last year. She also has a collection of products called As Ever.
Another source said: ‘What happens at the end of the contract is that people renegotiate. But when doing any kind of commercial negotiation, both sides are not allowed to talk about it. Netflix is a listed company so they can’t say anything or confirm officially yet that a new deal is happening, but that deal is not dead. Netflix are an equity partner in As Ever, so they were unlikely to drop Meghan. It serves them to promote her and her lifestyle brand via the With Love, Meghan show. It would be like punching yourself in the face not to sign a new deal.’
The source added: ‘People point to “Polo was a flop”, but it’s worth remembering that Harry & Meghan was the biggest documentary on Netflix ever in 2022. That alone could have afforded them 50 flops – and it still would have been worth it for Netflix. With Love, Meghan has been worth it too. It’s done really well, especially in America which is the only place that matters.’
This source certainly doesn’t sound like the Mail’s usual “Netflix source.” As for the actual story… sure, I’ll buy that Meghan is currently negotiating with Netflix and that there will be a new deal with different terms and targets. For everyone who argued some version of this – that negotiations were on-going and that is why Meghan couldn’t say anything – does no one understand that last week’s storyline was likely a play BY Netflix in what sounds like the middle of their negotiations? It does nothing but help Netflix from a negotiation standpoint to bash the Sussexes as unsuccessful flops who would be lucky to receive a fraction of their existing contract. All the more reason for the Sussexes to defend their professional reputation and express pride in the work they’ve already accomplished.
Photos courtesy of Netflix.
Again I will wait to hear from Netflix or Meg’s comm team about exactly what they will be doing. I believe that yes Netflix wants to continue with Meg and she with Netflix but I don’t trust “sources” from the Fail on anything.
This. It literally makes zero sense that Netflix would “bash Meghan” as part of their deal making. Ted is a personal friend and neighbour of the Sussexes; he’s never done anything but speak highly of her in public, on the record.
The last contract was a joint deal between H&M and Netflix. I think this new upcoming contract will be more Meghan-centric; Hazza has his own pile of ventures (Better Up, Travelyst) in addition to his charitable organizations. The first contract together made sense, because they had only recently escaped Salt Island, and there was a need to speak their collective truth and put rumors to rest. They’ve each said their piece now, to the level they were comfortable with. Onward and upward.
I don’t trust The Sun (and by extension the Sun-sourced article in People), nor do I trust the Daily Fail article. These are two tabs who have been sued for lying about the Sussexes. The only thing I trust is the Sussexes’ word direct. And we know they don’t speak to these toilet paper tabloids except through lawyers.
The whole Netflix contract drama has been conjured out of thin air because the tabs need to deflect from Cannot and Willnot’s ‘flaunting being shiftless on a borrowed UAE royal superyacht’ scandal. Whenever their pwecious “working royals” refuse to actually work, tabs pivot to the Sussexes instead of pulling up the BRF on their laziness. Rinse, repeat, until Kate’s next craptastic Christmas concert.
Agreed. It wouldn’t make sense for Netflix to be bashing Meghan, in the middle of negotiations. Netflix is already meshed with Meghan, in As Ever. Bashing Meghan would hurt their own brand.
Yeah agreed. I do not believe Netflix did this. Come on. Ted Sarandos loves her.
I am in the camp that it was during negotiations, didnt occur to me that it was done by netflix. On the one hand, thats shitty, hard to want to work with a partner after that. On the other, that signals that meghan has real strength, for them to make a move like that. I hope, if true, it a) didnt work, and b) she gets lots of $$$$ and control.
I don’t believe it’s a play by Netflix. That sounds like Spotify behaviour not Netflix. I believe some industry sources confirmed that H&M would not be offered renewal of their current contract. However, I do believe Meghan is likely to resign on different terms.
As I mentioned in other posts the tabloids are just playing both sides so they can claim they are right when there’s an eventual announcement.
The tabloids claimed for years that Netflix would drop H&M. And then after Meghan revealed Netflix was her partner in As ever & revealed extent of partnership on her podcast & WLM was a top ten hit they all started begrudgingly claiming Netflix would renew the deal. In the last few weeks the fail has both claimed the deal would be cancelled AND it would be renewed. They really don’t know anything & their reports are likely just to agitate for information.
There’s nothing to suggest Netflix is game playing via uk tabloids- if they were briefing the press they would more like use more reputable publications in the US or page six at least. And page six said their arrangement would continue & said WLM performed well
I find the NETFLIX angle hard to believe because the devil is in the details. Whether they are bashed or not, they have managed to end up on top. Netflix knows that hence the hence the head honcho’s statement about they being underestimated.
The numbers speak for themselves as the article states that first docuseries is worth 50 flops. WLM made it into the top 5% so no it does not make sense because the noise is nothing new. But Meghan is the star. That’s obvious.
Fail – none of your business.
As for this “It is also not thought that Harry, whose vanity project, Polo”
I’ll remember to use the phrase “vanity project” every time they trot out Willy and Lazy once a year for their Earthshit and Ahhhly Yahs.
I believe in the Sussexes and when I hear from them, I will accept whatever they say. Their lives, their money. All of this back and forth from gutter rats is nothing more than noise and opportunities for them to bash and milk the Netflix headlines for clicks. As Meghan stated on a recent podcast, someone’s else’s urgency is not my urgency. I hope the Sussexes are relaxing on a summer break with their children while folks work themselves up into convulsion with their speculations and need for confirmation and rebuttals.
Sure, Netflix may play with one of their talents’ reputation, so they can pay her less. However, they would choose an industry media for that, not the freaking Daily Mail or Sun or a british media company. People repeated a few bashing articles on H&M right from a tabloid before without adding anything to it. So, I don’t believe they checked the story before publishing, they would say so if they did. People will always cover the ass of BRF. H&M give them stories from time to time, but they don’t work with them that often anymore. People previous editor went to USA Today. The story where H&M’s previous and current employees gave comments on Meghan as a boss with their names on record wasn’t given to People, for example.
That’s true. If Netflix were trying to tarnish M’s reputation wouldn’t they have gone to a US industry publication. Even the Page 6 sources were saying Netflix still wanted to work with M. I’m not buying that Netflix would try to sabotage M using the Sun!
Since Netflix is definitely involved with As Ever, it would be a stupid move on their part to trash Meghan.
🎯
** not USA Today, US Weekly 😭😭
“It does nothing but help Netflix from a negotiation standpoint to bash the Sussexes as unsuccessful flops who would be lucky to receive a fraction of their existing contract. All the more reason for the Sussexes to defend their professional reputation and express pride in the work they’ve already accomplished.”
I suppose but wouldn’t the Sussexes just have to point to the numbers?
The views they bring in, the ShopMy sell outs and her As ever product line selling out. Meghan being featured at the Time 100 Summit and their charity work. A proper agent will be able to sit with all this and say “See. This is what they bring to the table. Let’s make a deal.”
I am not sure what you guys want them to do in the middle of negotiations. So someone says you deal is not going to be renewed what does it matter? Spotify was different. They made it personal. Coming out to say anything is being on the defensive and compounding the situation becoming ” me thinks thou protest too much”.
The best revenge is for make them eat crow when all is said and done. This is more about the Sussex Squad wanting some sort of reassurance than anything else. I definitely will not pay my enemies dust if they are talking smack. I will let them talk and enjoy them eating crow when I step out in style. So I will wait.
What are you talking about? Many have been saying that they are negotiating and that when the deal is done is when everyone will know.
Where in my comment have I said anything about Meghan & Harry addressing these foolish, racist rags? Reading comprehension is a skill that can always be improved.
I was not aware Meghan was the sole owner of Archewell Productions. I believe the Sussexes are negotiating and part of it is Meghan’s shows and their partnership with As Ever. Chris Ship was the first to say the Sussexes were negotiating with Netflix and as usual keep quiet until it’s confirmed. The fail only copy with a twist focused on Meghan.
I am not buying the “Netflix launched the attack”, line.
These attacks are the hallmark of the British tabloids circa 2019, as sanctioned by the British Royal Family.
William and Kate are doing things that you’d have got Meghan and Harry dragged on Talkshows and tabloids, but because of their blood covenant with the tabloids, they attacking Meghan.
That’s why that Dolan is in America claiming Harry and Meghan’s marriage is in trouble.
this article is throwing me off. it’s in the MoS yet its…..a nuanced and not unhinged take on the situation. Actually admitting that being in the top third for Netflix is pretty good and that the success of the H&M docuseries gives them a lot of cover in terms of the success of their other projects? huh. color me shocked.
Anyway I wouldn’t be surprised if WLM stays with Netflix but that other new projects are part of a “first look” contract.
It was a little shocking that they actually sounded sane for most of the article, and made some valid points.
I still doubt they know anything whatsoever and this entire storyline is deflection from the Greek Yacht 🛥️ holiday.
Netflix is a partner in her business it would make no sense to bash her as a has been.
That’s where I’m at. I can see Netflix doing something like that with talent, sure. But in this case, they are invested in her business so bashing her as a has-been seems counter-intuitive. The Sun reporting on it like that is no surprise. The only surprise is People then reporting on it. People is not fully above being messy but we’ll see.
Isn’t Meghan actually friends with the CEO and his wife? It would be really weird and foul if Netflix was playing with them like that for the negotiations. I don’t think that’s what they’re doing.
Meghan is friends with Tracy Robbins whose husband is CEO of Paramount.
@MRS BANJO, yes. Meghan is very close to Mrs Sarandos ie Nicole Avant. She has said that she is her mentor and they attended Beyoncé ‘s concert last year..
If they’re still in negotiations then it makes sense that Meghan’s team not taIking at the moment. I mean Harry and Meghan’s moves of the last year kind of forecasted what was going to happen. Harry’s going to focus on his charity work and Meghan her business and show.
I am going to say if there is a deal, the deal was negotiated early July when Meghan posted her 4th of July celebration. There was a lot of cheers and celebrations in the post that seems to me to be extra than 4th of July. Of course, like the Daily Fail, I can guess from her posts but on the positive side as they and I know NOTHING!
Netflix being the ones to do that doesn’t make any sense to me. While it could be a negotiating tactic, it’s not a good negotiating tactic to chase away someone that’s doing good business with you right into the arms of some one else. Also this reporting just matches exactly what Ted Sarandos said back in March that they were not going to discuss anyone’s contracts, that they were going to do curated bespoke deals going forward, and that he was very happy with meghan.
Pretty much everything that people were saying last week as far as why the comms team wasn’t saying anything. The contract ended as it was supposed to after 5 years like everyone else that had a long-term contract with netflix, and they are negotiating a new one. Rather than feeding into the beast that is the British media and making it a bigger story, because it never got picked up by any of the trade papers ,they just were patient and waited it out something that plenty of people here was saying that a lot of us should do. People were thinking this was a bigger story than it was and responding would have made it that which is what the British media wanted.
Let’s be logical about this. How would this be a useful strategy? “Take our deal or we’ll repeat the same things that have been said about you in the tabloids every day for the past 5 years!!” Sure dude, go right ahead – it’ll be just another day in Casa Sussex.
And I have to laugh at “Reports last week claimed that Netflix were going to drop the couple…” Guys, you were the ones reporting this. Maybe DM actually has a source within Netflix or, more likely, they’re reading CB again – because this is practically word for word what we were talking about last week.
Bashing Harry and Meghan by briefing the BM that they are done with them and their projects are not successful as a negotiation strategy by Netflix. This does not sound right to me. First trashing the people they want to make a deal with and after the deal selling their projects as super successful, this does not make sense to me. Would Netflix not been more interested to be seen as attracting the most successful people?
One thing to realize is that Netflix is a very large company. If Meghan is beloved by the CEO, she undoubtedly has some haters, too. Because I’m sure she does. It’s unfortunate that the Sussexes are “polarizing,” aka hating on them is an easy way to prove your racist bonafides. I can easily see someone who wants to tank the Sussex deal, (maybe someone with a competing cooking show?), running to the UK tabloids.
What’s strange is it running in People. They are known for only running stuff they’ve actually confirmed. And being pro Sussex. Very curious. And they probably reached out to the Sussexes. Who should have given them a damn statement! They are in Hollywood now, not behind Palace walls.
People isn’t pro-Sussex. They are literally running a hundred puff articles on Will & Kate a month. Their previous editor was friendlier to Sussexes, but the current team definitely ran a few tabloidy articles on them, while they don’t say anything negative on BRF. I noticed H&M’s team doesn’t give any exclusives to them anymore.
People mag largely used the Sun’s reporting in their own article & even though they claimed a Hollywood insider confirmed no renewal, they didn’t quote this insider & instead they just used key quotes from the sun for their report. And interestingly people’s report was by a London reporter who used to work at tabloids like the Fail & express. Would more believe a people mag reporter based in the US would have gotten insight on the deal from a Hollywood insider.
Whilst H&M’s team work with People mag, people mag still rely on tabloid reporting a lot when not directly briefed by H&M’s team, which has led them to get lots wrong eg claiming Harry wouldn’t attend his uncle’s funeral & that they were buying a place in Portugal.
The previous articles were just for click baits as well as reflecting the tabloid’s wishful desire to portray Harry and Meghan as failures. Netflix is a partner with Meghan’s As Ever business and the lifestyle show is not a mere cooking show but it is connected to the sale and promotion of As Ever products too. So it is unthinkable for Netflix to drop Megan. With Love Meghan will be a long running show too.
You are correct in saying it is not a mere cooking show, it is a lifestyle show and people will watch for clues to the Sussex lifestyle.
“Netflix are an equity partner in As Ever, so they were unlikely to drop Meghan. It serves them to promote her and her lifestyle brand via the With Love, Meghan show. It would be like punching yourself in the face not to sign a new deal.”
— DUH!
Yeah, this is really the only thing that needed to be said.
It does annoy me when the DM claims they walked away from their role as senior Royals. they were driven out of the country by the British press and the royal family.
Not sure about Netflix being behind the rumors. I mean, what if the Sussexes learned about it from their industry friends?
This seems like Fail tactics 101. The Fail doesn’t want anyone to start talking about last week’s other news– Kate’s dresser stalking Meghan and 30 of Meghan’s friends, or how Billy and Kate accepted hospitality on a mega-yacht from another country’s foreign minister. Cue the hit pieces on the Sussexes–look over here!
I’m excited to see what Meghan and Netflix come up with next, whatever it is I’ll be watching and buying!!
It sounds like they talked to someone who actually knows something about the business. Their source isn’t someone who knows anything about the negotiations between Netflix & Meghan, but does know how it’s done.
I didn’t know that the bm even knew how to do this type of article. You know, where they don’t make everything up. Is it end times?
Theres articles here and there that hollywood is done with M. I don’t believe it esp when she gets more views and engagements in SM vs the leftovers. Any company sees that as an asset and an opportunity (except I guess the firm, and look what happened there). With that said, I think it would be great if HMs production company produces projects(film/tv etc) which would showcase new talent out there- opportunities for veterans, highlighting a diverse cast/crew etc. there’s also been more tax incentives for filming in California, that would also benefit the local economy. It’s a win-win all around.
I was a bit dismayed that when People was echoing that Netflix was booting Meghan. It makes no sense while they are raking in money over As Ever, and Meghan is in their top 300, and bringing in fussy old harrisans and fussy old clowns who wouldn’t normally subscribe.
I will be so glad if all the legitimate publications who jumped on the hater train end up with egg on their face.
please wait and hear it straight from the horses mouths.