Netflix takes Designated Survivor global

Designated Survivor will air on ABC in the US

Netflix has taken international streaming rights (excluding North America) to Kiefer Sutherland’s ABC drama Designated Survivor, following a deal with Entertainment One (eOne).

The conspiracy thriller, which premiered in the US and Canada on Wednesday at 22.00 (ET), hails from eOne’s The Mark Gordon Company and ABC Studios. US SVoD service Netflix is making episodes available weekly outside of North America as they air on ABC.

The deal follows initial speculation about a pact during the LA Screenings in May.

Designated Survivor sees Sutherland, who will attend Mipcom in Cannes next month, play a low-level politician who becomes US president after an attack in Washington DC.

The drama was created by David Guggenheim, who executive produces with Simon Kinberg, Kiefer Sutherland, Mark Gordon, Nick Pepper, Suzan Bymel and Aditya Sood, alongside showrunner Jon Feldman.

The pilot was directed by Paul McGuigan while Jacqueline Sacerio oversees the project for The Mark Gordon Company.

Netflix recently struck a similar deal for CBS Studios’ Star Trek: Discovery.