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Despite the fact that Game of Thrones — which some had previously discussed as one of the greatest shows of all-time — stumbled across the finish line, series showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss remained one of Hollywood’s hottest commodities and their recent deal to make the jump to Netflix proves it.
According to Deadline, both Benioff and Weiss have signed an exclusive overall deal with Netflix for an undisclosed fee. The report states that while no one with Netflix nor Benioff and Weiss’ camp have confirmed actual numbers, “sources tell Deadline the deal is in the 9-figure range like some of the other mega-deals signed by show creators like Shonda Rhimes (Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal) and Ryan Murphy (Glee, American Horror Story).”
The Hollywood Reporter claims that the figure is approximately $200 million and is a multiyear overall film and TV deal.
In addition to Netflix, the duo behind Game of Thrones were also courted by other Hollywood powerhouses such as HBO/WarnerMedia, Disney, Amazon, Apple, and Comcast.
“We are thrilled to welcome master storytellers David Benioff and Dan Weiss to Netflix. 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,” Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos said in a statement following the announcement.
The Deadline report says that their priority at Netflix will be developing another “watercooler” series similar to Game of Thrones.
While Benioff and Weiss are undoubtedly talented filmmakers and writers, the way the final six episodes (and frankly, the last two seasons as a whole) of Game of Thrones ended left a bad taste in fans mouths, who became skeptical that Game of Thrones success was strictly predicated on George R.R. Martin’s novels given the way the HBO series limped to its close.