AMC Global Looks to Share ‘The Walking Dead’ Rights as CEO Kristin Dolan Highlights Competition Among Major Players
AMC Global Media is on the verge of finalizing a deal for the next round of rights to The Walking Dead. The company aims to retain some involvement while facing competition from several major players in the bidding.
The flagship series, which concluded in 2022, has maintained its popularity on streaming platforms and has generated multiple spinoffs.
“We’ve been really excited about the inbound for discussion on the licensing rights for The Walking Dead,” stated CEO Kristin Dolan during the company’s first-quarter earnings call on Friday. “We’re really looking at every scenario. There’s a variety of ways to look at it. We definitely feel it’s important to keep some of the content for ourselves co-exclusively. There are some very large and enthusiastic partners in the bidding process right now. So, we’re really looking at any variety of constructs, but the key thing for us is co-exclusivity.”
When asked if the company would pursue a comprehensive deal with one partner or divide the rights into smaller arrangements, Dolan confirmed that all options are being considered. “We may chunk it up, may all go to one partner, domestic versus international. There’s many, many ways to skin this cat,” she explained.
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Company executives clarified that the results from the licensing agreement are not expected to impact the financials until 2026, though they believe it will provide significant benefits in the future.
These comments followed the release of mixed financial results, with revenue decreasing 2% to $542.1 million and adjusted earnings dropping from 52 cents to 8 cents per share. Both figures exceeded analysts’ forecasts. Streaming revenue increased by 11% to $174 million, primarily due to price hikes, despite a 3% decline in subscriber numbers to 10.1 million.
Netflix has had a notable partnership with AMC, enhancing viewership for various original series as they stream prior seasons ahead of new episodes. AMC has also tested significant collaborations on HBO Max and continues to strengthen its “channels” partnerships with platforms such as Amazon and Roku.
MORE to come …
