Following the success of Avatar, the last airbenderThe return to Netflix earlier this year, the Nickelodeon spin-off The Legend of Korra It will also head to the streaming service on August 14 in the United States.
Developed as a sequel to Avatar, the last airbender, The Legend of Korra it was featured on Nickelodeon between 2012 and 2014. The show followed Korra, a new Avatar and successor to Avatar, the last airbender‘s Aang, and was praised for his socio-political issues that push the limits. The Legend of Korra He was also praised for his LGBTQ + themes, especially for a series of children’s cartoons that aired on Nickelodeon.
The Legend of Korra it’s a big problem for ViacomCBS, but it could be a big problem for Netflix. When Avatar, the last airbender It landed on Netflix in May, quickly becoming one of the most popular Netflix titles, according to the streamer trend. Off Netflix, dedicated Avatar Filters started appearing on Instagram and TikTok content related to the show began to appear. People who had never seen the show (read: me) dove in and killed the series, while lifelong fans used their revival on Netflix to watch it again. Now with The Legend of Korra Addressing Netflix, the broadcaster was able to see another wave of views.
Some people may ask: “Yes Avatar, the last airbender and The Legend of Korra They are great shows for ViacomCBS, why is the series going to Netflix? (The show is also available to stream through Nickelodeon’s companion NickHits channel on Amazon Prime Video.) ViacomCBS has its own streaming service, CBS All Access, where The Legend of Korra will continue to air, the company confirmed to The edge.
Similar to NBCUniversal (Peacock) and WarnerMedia (HBO Max), ViacomCBS has an impressive amount of IP. If ViacomCBS can license a program like The Legend of Korra For Netflix for an attractive price, it makes sense for ViacomCBS to quit the show for a set period of time. In this particular deal, ViacomCBS doesn’t have to give up the show at all.
Licensing is an aspect of the ViacomCBS streaming business that CEO Bob Bakish has addressed several times in the past. Bakish told people gathered at the Credit Suisse Virtual Communications Conference in June that ViacomCBS “will not grant critical mass licenses from any of our key programming areas, areas such as science fiction, children or procedures, to any player,” according to Deadline. Bakish added that the company “will prioritize the IP franchise over our own and operated platforms.”
That’s true, but ViacomCBS has ongoing relationships with Netflix: the transmitter is making a new Sponge Bob Square Pants spin-off – and ViacomCBS is also licensing some of its titles to competitors like Peacock. Earlier this year, Bakish told analysts in a profit call that “the company’s strategy is to maximize the value of content by reaching the largest addressable audience,” CNBC reported. That means looking at the IP on a case-by-case basis. Star Trek it is unlikely to end on Netflix (although the shows are added to other streamers like Amazon Prime Video), for example. But licensing The Legend of Korra It could make more strategic sense for ViacomCBS and Netflix.
What’s more interesting about Netflix becoming a new home (at least in the US) Avatar, the last airbender and The Legend of Korra is that new generations of fans will see the titles as Netflix series. Even if The Legend of Korra is in both, Netflix has more than 72 million subscribers. CBS All Access has more than 11 million. People are more likely to come to watch the show on Netflix. The shows become synonyms for the streaming platform, even with the Nickelodeon logo still attached. It is similar to what happened with AMC and Breaking Bad, where Netflix helped find a new and growing audience for Breaking Bad – but that audience started thinking about Breaking Bad like a Netflix show, not an AMC original.
Regardless, the bottom line is that two of Nickelodeon’s most beloved shows will finally air on Netflix at the same time. There is always time for another marathon.
Update July 21, 2:38 pm ET: The story has been updated to take into account that The Legend of Korra will not be leaving CBS All Access, but will air on both Netflix and CBS All Access.
