The rights to The Walking Dead have been sold to Netflix…

One of the largest horror universes on television is coming together under a single global broadcasting roof after years of its productions being scattered across different platforms and countries.

The agreement signed between Netflix and AMC Global Media covers not only the main The Walking Dead series but also all seasons of six spin-offs produced to date. A total of 371 episodes from the seven series will be added to the Netflix catalog starting in 2027, depending on the expiration of existing regional licenses.

Netflix will pay AMC a total of $500 million over a five-year licensing period. In return, the The Walking Dead universe will be available for viewing worldwide on Netflix, but the productions will continue to remain in the AMC+ catalog in the countries where AMC operates.

Seven series and 371 episodes included in the agreement

The new licensing agreement covers the following productions in The Walking Dead universe:

The main series The Walking Dead along with
Fear the Walking Dead,
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon,
The Walking Dead: Dead City,
The Walking Dead: The World Beyond,
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live
and the anthology series Tales of the Walking Dead will be part of the agreement.

Thus, all major branches of the television universe, from Rick and Michonne's main story to Daryl's journey in Europe, and from Maggie and Negan's struggle in New York to the early days of the outbreak depicted in Fear the Walking Dead, will come together under the same service.

Netflix executive Lori Conkling stated that the main series has continued to reach new audiences on the platform for nearly 15 years, adding that the agreement will introduce the entire The Walking Dead universe to a wider audience worldwide.

Netflix has not completely acquired The Walking Dead

The $500 million figure does not mean that the The Walking Dead brand or its productions have been fully sold to Netflix.

AMC Global Media retains ownership of the series and the rights to broadcast them on its own services. The rights granted to Netflix consist of a joint and global broadcasting license that will last for approximately five years. Once the licensing period is over, these rights will revert entirely back to AMC.

The agreement also does not mean that Netflix has ordered a new The Walking Dead series or taken over creative control of existing productions. New seasons, casting choices, and future productions in the universe will continue to be managed by AMC.

Here, Netflix is not a producer or new brand owner; it is positioned as a global distribution partner for a very extensive catalog.

Series will be available on both Netflix and AMC+ simultaneously

Due to the agreement's “joint broadcast” nature, the series will not be removed from AMC+ when they arrive on Netflix.

AMC will retain the right to show all productions in The Walking Dead universe on its own broadcasting services. The entire 11 seasons of the main The Walking Dead series will also be added to the AMC+ catalog for the first time in early 2027.

Netflix will provide broader global access. While AMC+ operates only in certain countries, Netflix will be able to distribute the productions to many more regions.

Not all series will arrive on the same day

The fact that the agreement will start in 2027 does not mean that all seven series will be added to Netflix on the same day in all countries.

AMC has ongoing licensing agreements with television channels and digital platforms in different countries. Each series' five-year licensing period on Netflix will begin when the existing broadcasting rights in the relevant country expire.

Therefore, for example, Daryl Dixon may arrive on Netflix in one country at the beginning of 2027, while it may be added later in another region. The same situation may even create different dates between seasons.

Although the agreement is defined globally, Netflix and AMC have not yet announced when each series will enter the catalog in Turkey. The Turkish schedule will be shaped according to the expiration of existing licensing agreements for the productions in the country.

How will the $500 million be paid?

Netflix will not pay the total licensing fee to AMC in one lump sum.

According to the official financial statement, the $500 million fee will be paid in quarterly cash installments throughout the licensing period for each production in the relevant country. AMC expects to receive approximately $25 million in 2026; and about $100 million per year in 2027, 2028, 2029, and 2030. The remaining amount is planned to be completed in 2031.

Due to the payments being spread over the years, the present value of the agreement is estimated to be around $445 million. However, the total contract payment that Netflix will make during the licensing period will be $500 million.

Therefore, the $500 million reported to the public is not the sale price of the series; it is the total licensing fee for the global and joint broadcasting rights of the seven productions to be paid over five years.

The Walking Dead is finally coming together under one roof

Until now, the productions of The Walking Dead universe had a highly fragmented distribution arrangement that varied from country to country.

In some regions, the main series was available on Netflix while the spin-offs were released on different paid platforms. In other countries, new seasons could be watched on television channels, Disney-affiliated services, or AMC+.

The real significance of the new agreement emerges here. Netflix is not only renewing the existing license for the main series; it is also adding six spin-offs to the agreement, bringing the 371-episode universe together under the same catalog on an international scale.

This could make it easier for new viewers starting with The Walking Dead to follow the different stories in the universe. There will be no need to search for different platforms for the continuing stories of characters like Rick, Michonne, Daryl, Maggie, and Negan who have departed from the main series.

The partnership between Netflix and AMC has previously yielded results

The collaboration between Netflix and AMC is not new.

Productions like The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, Fear the Walking Dead, Dead City, and The Ones Who Live have previously been added to Netflix in the U.S. for limited periods. These series have performed strongly on the platform's viewing lists, helping AMC productions reach new audiences.

AMC Global Media CEO Kristin Dolan also noted that the agreement will create significant cash flow for the company over the years and is part of their strategy to leverage their intellectual property with broader distribution partnerships.

When will The Walking Dead come to Netflix in Turkey?

The main The Walking Dead series is already listed on Netflix Turkey. However, the dates for when the newly included spin-offs will come to Turkey have not yet been announced.

When Netflix's official country schedules are released, there may be separate start dates for Fear the Walking Dead, Daryl Dixon, Dead City, The Ones Who Live, World Beyond, and Tales of the Walking Dead.