The New York Times reported on Thursday that Netflix is in talks with former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama to produce a series of shows for the streaming service. Apple is reportedly waiting in the wings if Netflix and the Obamas can’t reach a deal.
Under terms of a proposed deal, which is not yet final, Netflix would pay Mr. Obama and his wife, Michelle, for exclusive content that would be available only on the streaming service, which has nearly 118 million subscribers around the world. The number of episodes and the formats for the shows have not been decided.
Mr. Obama does not intend to use his Netflix shows to directly respond to President Trump or conservative critics, according to people familiar with discussions about the programming. They said the Obamas had talked about producing shows that highlight inspirational stories.
The former president is expected to use the platform to air topics that he pushed during his presidency, including health care, voting rights, immigration, foreign policy, and climate change.
Mrs. Obama’s program could feature nutrition, a topic she promoted during the Obama presidency. The couple could also lend their brand to documentaries or even fictional programs that agree with their beliefs.
The Times reports their sources tell them executives from Apple and Amazon are interested in talking with the power couple about content deals if the Netflix talks fall through.
