Netflix’s deal for Breaking Bad has been mutually beneficial for both parties, even leading to the creation of a prequel movie exclusively for the streamer. According to a report from TheWrap, however, the show is one of several titles in the service’s US library that will be departing unless an extension is reached before the current agreement expires in early 2025.
Per TheWrap, Netflix’s license with Sony Television for Breaking Bad runs through February 10th, 2025. Netflix also has the streaming rights for the prequel series Better Call Saul, which has seen renewed interest since the final season debuted on AMC in April.
Breaking Bad is just one of several popular series that are set to leave Netflix. New Girl, Community, NCIS, and How to Get Away with Murder all have deals that expire before the end of 2024.
Like The Office and 30 Rock before it, Community is set to become exclusive to Peacock, but it’s not out of the question that Netflix could pony up to renew the licenses for the other shows, including Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul.
With Netflix continuing to hemorrhage subscribers, the company has motivation to retain some of the more reliable performers in its catalog. After all, measures like adding an “extra home” fee for sharing accounts between households and launching a cheaper, ad-supported tier won’t make a difference if there aren’t enough appealing shows to watch.
