Harry and Meghan 'shopped around' before signing Netflix deal, its CEO reveals. Photo / AP
Harry and Meghan 'shopped around' before signing Netflix deal, its CEO reveals. Photo / AP
Netflix co-founder and co-CEO Reed Hastings has revealed details of Harry and Meghan's $150 million deal with the streaming site.
Hastings said the Sussexes spent time "shopping" around to "all the major companies" before signing the deal, according to the Daily Mail.
The 59-year-old praised the "smart" couple for checking out different options before signing the deal, although he said Netflix "put together the best complete package".
Hastings said in an appearance on CNBC that he was excited about the deal.
He didn't reveal which other companies Meghan and Harry had spoken to, although the couple have worked with major entertainment giants including Disney and Apple in the past.
Meghan's first job after she and Harry quit royal life was as a narrator on the Disney+ doco Elephants, released in April. Meanwhile, Harry revealed last year that he'd worked with Oprah Winfrey on an Apple TV+ mental health project.
Prince Harry made his Netflix debut in August on Rising Phoenix, a doco about the Paralympic Games. It's not clear whether he and Meghan had already signed their deal with the streaming site when he took part in the project, or whether it was part of their lucrative new contract.
Harry and Meghan 'shopped around' before signing Netflix deal, its CEO reveals. Photo / AP
Hastings wouldn't share details of the deal, including how much the couple were receiving, but he did tell CNBC host Andrew Ross Sorkin that their content would be among "the most exciting" and "most viewed" on Netflix next year.
"It's going to be epic entertainment. We're going to do a wide range of entertainment with them. I can't tell you anymore than that about it at this point, but I think it will be some of the most exciting, most viewed content next year."
Hastings addressed rumours about whether former Suits star Meghan will return to acting and appear in the shows she and Harry produce, saying the couple are fully focused on "being producers" rather than appearing on screen.
"The real focus for them is on being producers and on building that production capacity," he said, noting that the couple has "developed a great eye for stories".
Hastings' co-CEO Ted Sarandos spoke in a previous interview about their "pride" that Meghan and Harry had agreed to a deal with the streaming site.
"We're incredibly proud they have chosen Netflix as their creative home and are excited about telling stories with them that can help build resilience and increase understanding for audiences everywhere."
