Hulu Scores Seinfeld for Streaming, Exclusive Pact with AMC

NEW YORK: At Hulu's Upfront Presentation today in New York, the company announced its acquisition of the exclusive SVOD rights for all episodes of Seinfeld, as well as a new, multiyear agreement with AMC Networks that gives it the streaming rights for such series as Fear the Walking Dead.

Craig Erwich, Hulu’s senior VP and head of content, was joined by comedian Jerry Seinfeld on stage at the Hulu Upfront to announce the exclusive SVOD deal for Seinfeld. All nine seasons of the classic comedy series will make their SVOD debut exclusively on the streaming service starting this June. "There’s no question that Seinfeld has played a major role in TV history, which is why we cannot wait to make all episodes of the series available to stream for the first time ever on Hulu," Erwich said. "Whether you are an existing fan who just wants to relive your favorite moments over and over again, or are a new viewer who wants to experience Seinfeld from the very beginning, Hulu will now be your destination to stream what has been dubbed as one of the greatest shows of all time."

Hulu also landed a deal with AMC Networks for the exclusive SVOD rights for new and upcoming prime-time scripted series covering AMC, IFC, BBC America, SundanceTV and WE tv. This brings to Hulu the exclusive streaming of the highly anticipated Walking Dead companion series Fear the Walking Dead. Full seasons of future series produced by AMC Networks will be available to stream exclusively on Hulu following their network season runs.

“AMC Networks has an incredible reputation and track record in producing captivating storytelling across a variety of genres for true connoisseurs of television,” said Mike Hopkins, the CEO of Hulu. “This huge partnership guarantees that Hulu viewers will soon be able to enjoy the newest slate of premium programming from some of the top cable networks.”

“We believe in the combination of compelling content and technology to engage audiences and deliver viewers back to the linear television experience,” added Ed Carroll, the COO of AMC Networks. “AMC Networks has been the original home of some of the most popular shows in the history of online streaming, and we are excited about this new partnership with Hulu, a growing company that has created a network-branded environment for content in a highly competitive space.”

Originals also continue to be a priority for Hulu, with a new slate unveiled. This includes The James Franco-led 11/22/63, which counts as executive producers J.J. Abrams and Stephen King; Difficult People, which stars Julie Klausner and Billy Eichner, and has Amy Poehler as an executive producer; and Casual, from executive producer/director Jason Reitman and writer/creator Zander Lehmann. Also on the Hulu original roster are The Way, a drama about a family at the center of a controversial faith-based movement, and RocketJump: The Show, a half-hour comedy that looks at the filmmaking behind RocketJump's latest short.