People are ecstatic over Netflix's announcement on Monday that former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle have signed a years-long contract to produce films and series for the popular streaming service.
In a tweet on Monday, Netflix broke the news about their new relationship with the former First Couple.
"President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama have entered into a multi-year agreement to produce films and series for Netflix, potentially including scripted series, unscripted series, docu-series, documentaries, and features."
In March, a report in the New York Times teased about the Obamas' plans, though at the time, the deal wasn't final and the specifics had not yet been finalized. The arrangement is unprecedented; no previous president has ever embarked on a media blitz of this scale, and since the inauguration of President Donald Trump, Obama has largely avoided the public spotlight. "The deal is said to be focused on series that highlight inspirational stories, not anything to serve as a direct rebuttal to current President Donald Trump or his policies," wrote the Hollywood Reporter in March.
In addition to their contract with Netflix, the Obamas have also signed individual book publishing deals with Penguin Random House worth $65 million.
"Barack and Michelle Obama are among the world's most respected and highly recognized public figures and are uniquely positioned to discover and highlight stories of people who make a difference in their communities and strive to change the world for the better," Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos said in a statement. "We are incredibly proud they have chosen to make Netflix the home for their formidable storytelling abilities."
In his own statement, the former president expressed his excitement about the venture, saying that his goal is to help "creative voices... share their stories with the entire world."
"One of the simple joys of our time in public service was getting to meet so many fascinating people from all walks of life, and to help them share their experiences with a wider audience. That's why Michelle and I are so excited to partner with Netflix — we hope to cultivate and curate the talented, inspiring, creative voices who are able to promote greater empathy and understanding between peoples, and help them share their stories with the entire world."
Mrs. Obama added that she hopes to "promote inspired storytelling" through "Netflix's unparalleled service."
"Barack and I have always believed in the power of storytelling to inspire us, to make us think differently about the world around us, and to help us open our minds and hearts to others. Netflix's unparalleled service is a natural fit for the kinds of stories we want to share, and we look forward to starting this exciting new partnership."
Twitter gushed at the news—users shared what they hoped would come out of the Obama-Netflix partnership.
Former MSNBC anchor and progressive voice Keith Olbermann also weighed in, joking that the hit Netflix show BoJack Horseman needs "a little help."
