AMC Global Media CEO Kristin Dolan On Why ‘The Walking Dead’ Deal With Netflix Was “The Right Choice”
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- AMC Global Media re-upped its 'The Walking Dead' licensing deal with Netflix in a 5-year, $500 million co-exclusive agreement, covering all 371 episodes across the original series and six spinoffs.
- Netflix secured expanded global rights to 'The Walking Dead' franchise, adding the UK, Italy, Australia, and other territories starting January 2027, while maintaining U.S. rights held since 2011.
- AMC+ will remain a co-exclusive home for the full 'The Walking Dead' franchise for the first time, with CEO Kristin Dolan expressing confidence it will boost engagement despite Netflix’s parallel access.
- Kristin Dolan said the decision followed negotiations with 'a lot of the major players' in streaming, but Netflix was chosen due to its long-standing partnership and the appeal of a unified global licensing structure.
- Kim Kelleher, AMC Global’s Chief Commercial Officer, led the negotiations, which centered on a co-exclusive model that avoided piecemeal international licensing.
- The Walking Dead franchise, which includes multiple spinoffs, will be fully available on both Netflix and AMC+ starting in 2027, marking the first time the entire catalog streams together on AMC+.
Why it matters: AMC retains direct access to its core fanbase via AMC+ while monetizing global scale through Netflix, capturing $500 million in revenue without sacrificing exclusivity. The deal strengthens AMC+'s value proposition even as it shares its flagship IP with a much larger platform.
