Netflix announced on Monday that after the current agreement with Hulu ends, all 180 episodes of the iconic ’90s series Seinfeld will stream to the platform in 2021. The streaming agreement is set for five years with distributor Sony Pictures.
“Seinfeld is the television comedy that all television comedy is measured against. It is as fresh and funny as ever and will be available to the world in 4K for the first time. We can’t wait to welcome Jerry, Elaine, George, and Kramer to their new global home on Netflix,” Ted Sarandos, Netflix’s chief content officer, said in a statement.
The purchase of the popular “show about nothing” by Netflix arises as it prepares to lose both Friends and The Office to next year’s new streaming service by HBO Max and NBCUniversal.
According to the Los Angeles Times, all of the Seinfeld co-owners, including WarnerMedia, CBS, Jerry Seinfeld and series co-creator Larry David, will share the Netflix revenue.
“Seinfeld is a one-of-a-kind, iconic, culture-defining show. Now, 30 years after its premiere, Seinfeld remains center stage. We’re thrilled to be partnering with Netflix to bring this beloved series to current fans and new audiences around the globe,” Mike Hopkins, chairman of Sony Pictures Television, said in a statement.
The popular series originally ran for nine seasons from 1989 to 1998.
Netflix is also the home to Seinfeld’s series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee and his 2017 stand-up special, Jerry Before Seinfeld.
As more and more companies develop their own streaming services, other popular Netflix offerings could be leaving in the coming years, like Grey’s Anatomy and Parks and Recreation, which are owned by Disney and NBCUniversal, respectively.
