Obamas ink multiyear deal with Netflix

The Obamas are getting into the movie-making business, teaming up with Netflix on a multiyear deal.

Netflix announced the partnership in a Monday tweet.

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.

— Netflix US (@netflix) May 21, 2018

“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,” the company said.

A Netflix spokeswoman told ITK no additional details were immediately available about the deal.

The New York Times was first to report news of a potential deal back in March.

“President and Mrs. Obama have always believed in the power of storytelling to inspire,” Eric Schultz, an Obama senior adviser, told the paper at the time.

“Throughout their lives, they have lifted up stories of people whose efforts to make a difference are quietly changing the world for the better. As they consider their future personal plans, they continue to explore new ways to help others tell and share their stories,” Schultz said.

Mic had reported in December 2016 that the former president could be considering inking a digital media gig after leaving office.

Then-White House communications director Jen Psaki told the site at the time, “While the president will remain actively engaged in inspiring young people and he is interested in the changing ways people consume information, he has no plans to get into the media business after he leaves office.”

Netflix has 125 million subscribers, the company reported last month.

The former commander in chief appeared on Netflix back in January, sitting down with David Letterman for the former late-night host’s talk show “My Next Guest Needs no Introduction.”

In his last two years in office, Obama, 56, hosted a film festival at the White House and expressed an appreciation for big-screen projects.

“That’s a media that connects us with people and stories we might otherwise never know,” Obama said of filmmaking in 2016. “And it puts us in the shoes of people potentially on the other side of the world or the neighborhood very different than the one we grew up in.”

Updated at 12:29 p.m.