Game of Thrones Creators Leave HBO for Massive Netflix Deal

After making quite a splash with Game of Thrones, series creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss are leaving HBO for a new production home. According to a new report from Deadline, Benioff and Weiss have officially signed an exclusive overall global deal with Netflix, which will cover them writing, producing, and directing new films and TV shows.

“We are thrilled to welcome master storytellers David Benioff and Dan Weiss to Netflix.” Netflix CCO 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.”

“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.” Benioff and Weiss added. “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. 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.”

This comes after Netflix was listed as one of the biggest contenders in Benioff and Weiss’ meetings, alongside Amazon Studios and Disney/FX. At the time, Amazon had previously been believed to be the frontrunner, until Netflix created a competitive counteroffer.

While it’s unclear how much Benioff and Weiss’ new deal is worth, sources in the report claim that the deal is in “the 9-figure range”, similarly to the deals Netflix previously struck with Shonda Rhimes and Ryan Murphy. Previous reports had indicated that Benioff and Weiss were searching for figures as high as $200 million, in an attempt to beat Amazon’s $150 million pact with Westworld creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy.

There was also an indication that the pair’s popularity among these other studios had improved thanks to Thrones‘ recent Emmy buzz, after the show’s controversial final season earned a record-breaking 32 nominations. This confirmation of the deal seems to echo that, stating that it’s a priority for Benioff and Weiss to come up with “another water cooler series” for Netflix.

Of course, Benioff and Weiss still have content they need to create outside of this Netflix partnership, namely in the form of a Star Wars trilogy that has been in development for over a year. Earlier this year, Disney exec Bob Iger confirmed that the duo’s first Star Wars film will be the next to debut after The Rise of Skywalker, with a current release date of December 16, 2022.

What do you think of Benioff and Weiss heading over to Netflix? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!