Netflix is planning “unscripted and scripted” WWE spin-off shows.
Netflix will work with WWE on spinoff shows
The streaming giant will become the global home of ‘Monday Night Raw’ from January 6, while the majority of fans outside the United States will be able to access all of the sports entertainment company’s content via the platform.
Speaking to media at a special event this week, Bela Bejaria, Netflix’s chief content officer, said: “We’re looking forward to doing documentaries, taking that great history and those characters, [using] that on the unscripted and the scripted sides.
There are so many great stars that come from WWE that we [already] have a great relationship with on the TV and movie side.
“We are about to do a new movie with our very own John Cena. It’s a really great comedy called Little Brother [starring Cena] and Eric Andre together, and we’re super excited about that.”
Netflix’s non-fiction series and sports VP Brandon Riegg hinted at the possibility of WWE crossover with the streamer’s current shows.
He joked: “We might have a WWE episode of ‘Is It Cake?’ though. I think that would work well.”
When it comes to WWE’s own shows, chief content officer Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque insisted its programming will still have the same feel.
He told reporters: “It’s a safe place for families, for kids, for everybody, to be able to view the programming. That will not change.”
WWE President Nick Khan addressed rumours of a shift to a more adult product, but reiterated Levesque’s stance.
He added: “We’re not changing the rating of our programming. So there’s some online chatter about, ‘Oh, it’s going to be R-rated’, or for us old folks, X-rated.’
“That’s definitely not happening. It’s family-friendly, multi-generational, advertiser-friendly programming. It’s going to stay that way.
“I would look for more global flair, especially as the relationship continues to develop. Countries outside of the United States are as important to us as the United States is.”