Former President Barack Obama may be directly getting into the world of show business, and a very big streaming service is wanting to lock him down. Obama, who has graced many TV programs during and after his presidency, is reportedly in serious talks with Netflix for a television deal unlike anything the world has ever seen. Netflix is reportedly prepared to pay Obama and his former First Lady Michelle Obama for a selection of exclusive content that would give the couple a global platform to continue their civic business even beyond their White House exit.
No concrete deals have emerged detailing what this content could be, but a lot of ideas have reportedly been floated in this negotiation. One pitch reportedly would see Barack Obama hosting a roundtable discussion of issues that were prevalent during his time in office, while another pitch suggested Michelle Obama could host a documentary about fitness and healthy eating in America. Another idea envisioned Obama producing fictional content, but with an inspirational message that would spotlight the ideas or issues the couple is most interested in. Right now, the only thing we know for sure is that neither side has nailed down exactly what show formats the Obama's could utilize for the platform, but it sounds as though Netflix is up for whatever it takes to get them on board.
For those expecting biting commentary on the current President, Barack Obama's Netflix deal will not attempt to undermine Donald Trump's administration. The New York Times' sources claim that Obama in no way wishes to directly respond to Trump or any conservative critics with this new programming. Considering the former President would have a potential Netflix audience of around 118 million people with any potential projects, it's undoubtedly smart to uplift and inform rather than target any other political entities or ideals. That, in addition to both of the Obamas' massive social media followings, provides quite an enormous platform to get a message out there.
If Netflix is unable to seal the deal with the Obamas, it's possible another platform still has a shot at snagging them up. Amazon and Apple are both reportedly also interested in bringing Barack and Michelle Obama to their respective platforms, although it hasn't been confirmed whether or not the former President has met with either company. Netflix has a solid chance of sealing the deal, though, since Barack Obama has solid relationships with Netflix's chief content officer Ted Sarandos and chief executive Reed Hastings. Still, Netflix reportedly declined to comment when asked about the discussions with the Obamas.
Netflix doesn't have a Barack Obama series yet, but subscribers can see #44 on My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman, or learn about the former President's formative years in the biographical film Barry. For a look at other things that are guaranteed to be heading to Netflix, visit our Netflix premiere guide, and to see all the other upcoming shows on television in general, visit our midseason premiere guide.
