Shonda Rhimes Renews Netflix Deal for Five More Years

Shonda Rhimes is staying at Netflix.

The Bridgerton executive producer and her production company, Shondaland, have renewed their overall deal with the streaming giant for another five years, extending a partnership that began in 2017.

Under the new agreement, Rhimes and her longtime producing partner, Betsy Beers, will continue to exclusively develop and produce television series, films, and games for Netflix. The expanded deal also includes merchandise and live events tied to Shondaland projects.

From TV Deal to Multi-Format Partnership

The renewal comes as Bridgerton remains one of Netflix’s biggest franchises. The streamer says the franchise has generated more than 610 million views since the first half of 2023, reinforcing the value of keeping Rhimes and Shondaland firmly in-house.

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Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria praised the partnership in a statement, saying it has repeatedly shown how a strong creative vision can resonate globally and influence culture well beyond the screen. She added that Netflix intends to keep Shondaland as its home going forward, framing the renewal as a continuation of a relationship both sides consider foundational to Netflix’s original programming strategy.

The Duffer Brothers signed with Paramount in 2025, and Ryan Murphy, creator of Netflix’s “Monster” franchise, returned to Disney back in 2023. Against that backdrop, Rhimes staying put reads as a vote of confidence in Netflix’s ability to keep giving her creative latitude, and a reminder that her shows remain some of the platform’s biggest draws.

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Shondaland’s Expanding Netflix Slate

Since arriving at Netflix, Shondaland has built out a wide slate beyond “Bridgerton”. Some of her works include the limited series “Inventing Anna,” starring Julia Garner as convicted fraudster Anna Delvey; the murder mystery “The Residence,” with Uzo Aduba; the Emmy-winning documentary “Black Barbie”; and “Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker,” a documentary centered on choreographer and director Debbie Allen. 

Taken together, the slate shows Shondaland moving well past the soapy medical and political dramas that first made Rhimes famous, into true crime, documentary filmmaking, and prestige limited series.

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From ABC Exit to Netflix Powerhouse

Rhimes originally left ABC for Netflix in 2017 after more than a decade producing hits like “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Scandal,” and “How to Get Away with Murder” for the network. This move was seen at the time as a significant blow to ABC and a major coup for Netflix’s original programming ambitions. 

Nearly nine years later, the renewed agreement signals that Netflix considers Shondaland central to its long-term content strategy, even as the streaming landscape has grown more competitive and rival platforms have poached other top showrunners. For Rhimes, the deal offers continued stability and creative freedom at a company that has built much of its awards-season and mainstream appeal around her name.

Main Image: Shonda Rhimes via Flickr