Why is 'Once Upon a Time' leaving Netflix and where it will be streaming next?

The ABC series Once Upon a Time is gearing up to leave Netflix in early September. The Netflix viewers in the USA and other countries will no longer be able to stream the show on Netflix, where it had debuted back in 2013. The final season was added on Netlfix back in 2018, and the show since then has been having a stable run on the streaming platform, only to be removed from it now. So, why is Once Upon a Time leaving Netflix?

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Why is Once Upon a Time leaving Netflix?

According to What's On Netflix, the platform's deal allows them to only stream a shown for up to two years after its finale has been aired. This is similar to other ABC shows like Scandal. It has been two years since Once Upon a Time aired its series finale back in 2018, thus due to contractual obligations, the show will have to leave the streaming platform. This is a common practice for Netflix to follow, earlier, Netflix's original Marvel series characters like Daredevil, Luke Cage and others were barred from being used in other Marvel properties for two years after they were pulled from the streaming platform.

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Where will Once Upon a Time go next?

Once Upon a Time has been reported to go Disney+ next. The series is actually streaming in some regions around the world on Disney+ with the UK being scheduled to receive it in late August. This move only makes sense for the show as it consists of a number of Disney IPs throughout its runtime. 

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Image courtesy - Still from Once Upon A Time

As of now, regions that will house Once Upon A Time on Netflix include the United Kingdom, Latin America, Italy, Poland, The Netherlands and South Korea. If the show gets licensed to another provider, then there is a possibility that the series lands up on Amazon Prime Video or Hulu for American viewers. Though Disney+ has been a logical candidate for the show to go to next, it may not be possible to do so as the series still has some time before it leaves Netflix globally. 

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