Well, if you’re a fan of The Big Bang Theory, looks like you’ll want to sign up for HBO Max. According to Deadline, WarnerMedia’s upcoming streamer has secured the exclusive streaming rights for the hit series. And though not as high as the recently rumored $1 billion price tag, the show’s 279 episodes cost Warner somewhere in the ballpark of $600 million. (It’s worth mentioning that the $1B number was also accounting for another massive CBS hit, Two and a Half Men, which seemingly isn’t part of this deal.)
As part of a larger deal, Warner has secured the rights to the series for the next 8ish years. I say 8ish because the streaming deal expires after just 5 years but, Warner also extended their deal to keep the show’s network home at TBS through 2028. So, as long as that deal’s in place, it’s likely we won’t see The Big Bang Theory land on another streaming platform.
Robert Greenblatt, the Chairman of WarnerMedia Entertainment released a statement regarding the deal. “Few shows define a generation and capture mainstream zeitgeist like The Big Bang Theory. This show has been a hit virtually around the globe, it’s one of the biggest shows on broadcast television of the last decade, and the fact that we get to bring it to a streaming platform for the first time in the U.S. is a coup for our new offering.”
And, in case anyone still thinks WarnerMedia is playing around, don’t forget they already shelled out nearly $500 million to land the exclusive rights to Friends. The streamer also struck a huge deal with the BBC to be the exclusive American home to most of their catalog, most importantly Doctor Who.
HBO Max launches in spring 2020.
