Netflix Reportedly Snags Massively Popular Series Previously Only Available on HBO

Netflix just closed a licensing deal that would have seemed unthinkable a few years ago. The streamer will soon have Sex and the City in its catalog, according to a report by Deadline. Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery just closed a distribution deal that may indicate some big changes for content exclusivity going forward in the “streaming wars.”

Sex and the City is one of HBO’s most iconic series ever – even inspiring a revival over the last few years on Max. Now, insiders say it may be streaming on Netflix as soon as April, while the sequel And Just Like That… will remain exclusive to Max. This could be a strategy to entice viewers who want to finish the whole story, but even so it is a surprising win for Netflix.

This isn’t the first time Netflix scored an HBO show – it has already hosted Insecure, Ballers and Six Feet Under – however, it may be the most iconic show licensed out so far. For years HBO has been very protective of its original content, rarely licensing it for limited runs on other cable channels, even if they shared a parent company. For many fans, Sex and the City is synonymous with HBO in the same way that The Sopranos or Game of Thrones are.

Still, It’s not hard to imagine how a boost from Netflix could help out the studio that holds the rights to an existing show like Sex and the City. Netflix started out with only licensed content and that still represents many of its biggest wins – last year, for example, the streamer a huge influx of viewers when it acquired Suits. On Tuesday, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos told investors that licensed content will be a huge part of the strategy moving into 2024.

“I believe because of our distribution heft and our recommendation system that sometimes we can uniquely add more value to the studio’s IP than they can,” he said. “Not all the time, but sometimes it does, and we are the best buyer for it. I am thrilled that the studios are more open to licensing again, and I’m thrilled to tell them that we are open for business.”

Netflix has picked up a few other big licensing deals in recent weeks as well, including binge-watching favorites like Lost, This Is Us and How I Met Your Mother. Sarandos seemed to say that the highest hope for these deals was for them to go viral, saying: “We can resurrect the show like Suits and turn it into a big pop culture moment and also generate billions of hours of joy for our members. I think you’re good to remember the studios have always been in the business of selling their content to others, including direct competitors, for years.”

Sex and the City and And Just Like That… are both streaming now on Max. Sex and the City may be coming to Netflix as soon as April, but the revival series will stay put.