Netflix Changing Model, May Be Removing Content For Some Subscribers

in Movies & TV

Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven

Credit: Netflix

Once the king of all streaming platforms, Netflix has fallen on hard times. In the United Kingdom, for example, the streamer has lost numerous popular series — including Modern Family, How I Met Your Mother, and Sons of Anarchy — to Disney+, and found itself losing the battle to keep 750,000 subscribers in that region.

SONS OF ANARCHY -- "Suits of Woe " -- Episode 711 -- Airs Tuesday, November 18, 10:00 pm e/p) -- Pictured: (center) Charlie Hunnam as Jax Teller. CR: Prashant Gupta/FX
Credit: FX

Related: Struggling Netflix Officially Receives First NC-17 Rating

In the United States, Netflix has also been struggling to maintain subscribers amid the rise of other options like Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max, NBC’s Peacock, and more.

As a matter of fact, Netflix recently lost the rights to all of its Marvel series — Daredevil, Jessica Jones, The Punisher, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and The Defenders.

Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock (left) and Elodie Yung as Elektra (right)
Credit: Netflix

Related: Did Marvel “Fix” a Popular Character’s X-Rated Scenes With Word Balloons?

The shows have now landed on Disney+ following the official Marvel Cinematic Universe debuts of two fan-favorite Daredevil characters, Matt Murdock/Daredevil (Charlie Cox) in Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) and Wilson Fisk/Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio) in Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld’s Disney+ Original Hawkeye series.

Furthermore, for persepctive, a single episode of Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni’s Disney+ Original series, The Book of Boba Fett starring Temuera Morrison (Boba Fett) and Ming-Na Wen (Fennec Shand), had more viewers than entire seasons of some Netflix series, including The Great British Baking Show, which enjoys a cult following.

book of boba fett fennec shand (left) and boba fett (right) in jabba the hutt's palace
Credit: Lucasfilm

Related: Marvel and ‘Star Wars’ Are Making Streaming History This Week

Although Netflix has recently been bolstered by new seasons of both Bridgerton and fan-favorite Stranger Things, the streamer will be changing its model and introducing an ad-supported tier — like Disney+ is also doing — in January 2023.

However, unlike Disney+, Netflix could be creating licensed shows that are only available to those on higher tier plans. Furthermore, the streamer may “clear” — read: remove — some series and movies for ad-supported accounts.

Maya Hawke as Robin (left), Joe Keery as Steve (middle), and Joseph Quinn as Eddiie (right)
Credit: Netflix

Related: ‘Star Wars’ Is Releasing “‘Stranger Things’ In Space”

Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos recently said that the company is in talks with studios to be able to offer licensed movies and television shows to the ad-supported tier — though if this doesn’t pan out, he still thinks the cheaper plan will be worth it:

Today the vast majority of what people watch on Netflix we can include in the ad supported tier today. There are some things that don’t [currently appear on the ad-supported tier] that we we’re in in conversation with the studios on, but if we launched the product today the members in the ad tier have a great experience and we will clear some additional content but certainly not all so we’re looking but we don’t think it’s a material holdback to the business.”

Milile Bobby Brown as Eleven
Credit: Netflix

Related: Shareholders File Class-Action Lawsuit Against Netflix

It is not known if cornerstone series like Stranger Things are part of the ongoing conversations, but since Sarandos specifically mentioned licensed content, it is likely that all Netflix Original series — including the Millie Bobby Brown-led show — will be available to all subscribers.

What do you think about Netflix changing its subscription model and potentially removing content for some subscribers?

in Movies & TV

View Comments (11)