Shonda Rhimes is re-upping her overall deal with Netflix.
Rhimes and her Shondaland company, which she leads with Betsy Beers, have signed a new, five-year deal with the streamer she has called home since 2017. The new deal (“creative partnership,” in Netflix’s terminology) covers development of series, feature films and games for Netflix along with live events and merchandise tied to Shondaland’s IP.
Netflix will also continue supporting Shondaland’s inclusion efforts, including a program to train underrepresented below-the-line creatives called the Ladder Program.
“I am excited to extend our relationship with Netflix,” Rhimes said in a statement. “For almost a decade, Netflix has provided Shondaland with the autonomy and support to tell our kind of stories — stories that both entertain and reflect diversity and humanity in a way that resonates with audiences around the world. I am so thankful to Ted [Sarandso], Bela [Bajaria] and the entire Netflix team for their continued partnership, trust and enthusiasm.Let’s go!”
Rhimes’ first deal with Netflix, in 2017, saw her move from her long-time home at Disney. It was a key moment in the Peak TV era, signaling streamers’ willingness to compete (and pay) for the exclusive services of top creatives. Rhimes re-signed with Netflix in 2021, and with that deal sunsetting, she inked the new pact that will run through 2031.
The partnership has been a fruitful one: Shondaland produces Bridgerton, whose first and third seasons are among the most viewed English-language Netflix shows ever. The show’s fourth season debuted to big numbers earlier this year, and a fifth is currently filming. Along with the prequel series Queen Charlotte, the Bridgerton-verse accounted for 180 million worldwide views (calculated as total hours watched divided by run time) in the first half of the year.
Shondaland’s Netflix shows also include Inventing Anna — which also held a place in the streamer’s all-time top 10 for a while — The Residence and documentaries Black Barbie and Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker. The library of Rhimes’ long-running Grey’s Anatomy, which is entering its 23rd season on ABC (with a Texas-set spinoff due in 2027), also streams on Netflix (as well as Hulu) and is a perennial entry in Nielsen’s streaming charts for the United States.
“I am thrilled to extend our partnership with the incomparable Shonda Rhimes,” said Bajaria, Netflix’s chief content officer. “Few creative partnerships have shown what’s possible when a singular vision meets a global stage: stories that become genuine phenomena, shaping fashion, music and culture far beyond the screen. Nearly a decade in, this partnership keeps proving that Shonda’s instincts aren’t just brilliant storytelling — they’re a blueprint for what a hit can become. We couldn’t be prouder to remain the home where Shondaland continues to surprise and entertain audiences around the world.”