Even since Barack and Michelle Obama left the White House in January 2017, folks have been in total despair wondering what they'll do next. We gained some insight Monday afternoon: the couple is partnering with the digital media powerhouse Netflix to produce a bunch of content, the type of which Netflix left vague.
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 former president recently appeared on David Letterman's Netflix series My Next Guest Needs No Introduction. The Obamas' pop culture interest and public support remain strong, so it's unsurprising to see them take on such an initiative with the exploding streaming service. The couple has created a production company dubbed Higher Ground Productions.
"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," Barack said in a statement. "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."
The New York Times reports Obama "does not intend to use the new platform to wage a public campaign against his successor in the Oval Office, or to fight against conservative media outlets like Fox News." The Times first reported the two parties were negotiating in March.
"Barack and Michelle Obama are among the world’s most respected and highly-recognized public figures," said Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos in a statement, "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. We are incredibly proud they have chosen to make Netflix the home for their formidable storytelling abilities."
