Amazon signed a licensing agreement for exclusive streaming rights for NBC series This Is Us and Fox’s The Exorcist through its Prime Video streaming site in more than 200 countries, reports Variety.
The first season of This Is Us and The Exorcist will be made available through the site in September.
Fresh off two Emmy wins at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards, which aired Sunday, September 17, This Is Us has helped shed light on quality network television at a time when streaming original series are getting all of the attention. The drama’s inaugural season was an emotional roller coaster, taking viewers on a journey with the Pearson family, jumping through time during pivotal moments in their lives — from childhood to present day. The cast includes Sterling K. Brown, who picked up the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, along with Milo Ventimiglia, Chrissy Metz, and Ron Cephas Jones, who were also nominated. Gerald McRaney was also nominated (and won) for his guest role in the series.
The series has been renewed for two more seasons, with the second set to debut on September 26. This Is Us received a total of 10 Emmy nominations, including one for Outstanding Drama Series.
Brad Beale, vice president of Worldwide Television Acquisition for Amazon, calls This Is Us “one of the best new TV series, beloved by viewers and acclaimed by critics.”
As a sequel to the 1973 film of the same name, which is, in turn, based on the William Peter Blatty novel, The Exorcist is a horror drama series that stars Alfonso Herrera, Ben Daniels, and Geena Davis. Earlier in September, it was announced that John Cho, who plays Hikaru Sulu in Star Trek Beyond, would be joining the cast for the second season.
The series, which features plenty of scares and mesmerizing special effects depicting demonic possession, will see its second season air on September 29. It has received largely positive reviews, with a Rotten Tomatoes average Tomatometer score of 78 percent and audience score of 92 pecent. The consensus suggests that while the series “doesn’t come close to its classic source material …[it] still boasts a tense narrative that manages some legitimate scares and credible special effects.”
