Was it a Downsizing for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle?
While reports initially claimed a non-renewal, fueling rumors that Netflix was parting ways with the couple, that has been clarified. The new contract is a "first-look" deal, which is significantly less exclusive and lucrative than their original agreement. This change has been described by some as a downgrade and, for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, perhaps a humbling shift. However, others have argued that this move is a standard business practice for a streaming service that's moving away from large, multi-year, and exclusive deals.
Under the original agreement, Netflix would fund Archewell Productions and receive exclusive rights to all projects. The new first-look contract means that Netflix gets the first option to purchase any project that Archewell develops, but it does not cover all production overhead. This gives Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and their Archewell production team, more flexibility to approach other platforms should Netflix decline a project. While some have interpreted this as a blow to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, others see it as a mutually beneficial pivot, as stated by Netflix’s chief content officer, Bela Bajaria.
The Mixed Results of the Archewell Production Projects
The Sussexes' collaboration with Netflix produced mixed results. Their six-part docuseries, Harry & Meghan, was a huge success, becoming one of Netflix's most-watched documentaries. However, subsequent projects did not achieve the same level of fanfare. The docuseries Polo and Heart of Invictus failed to capture a wide audience. In fact, reports stated that the viewership for Polo was "dismal".
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