Picture Credit: Paramount+
We’ve just learned that the critically acclaimed Western drama Lawmen: Bass Reeves is officially bound for Netflix. The hit series is set to ride onto the streamer beginning June 1st in the United States, the United Kingdom, and most international regions.
If you missed it when it first dropped on Paramount+ back in late 2023, you’re in for an absolute treat. Executive produced by Taylor Sheridan (the mastermind behind the Yellowstone universe) and created by Chad Feehan, the anthology series stars David Oyelowo as the legendary titular character. It chronicles the untold true story of Bass Reeves, who rose from enslavement to become one of the first Black Deputy U.S. Marshals west of the Mississippi River. Throughout his legendary career, he arrested over 3,000 outlaws without ever being wounded.
This latest pickup is just one piece of a rapidly expanding puzzle when it comes to Netflix’s relationship with Paramount Global. Instead of keeping their biggest titles locked behind the Paramount+ paywall, the studio has been aggressively licensing top-tier content to Netflix to maximize viewership and revenue.
Just recently, Netflix announced during an earnings call that it had struck a surprise licensing deal to bring a massive slate of Paramount titles to the service. That upcoming roster includes the Jeremy Renner-led crime thriller Mayor of Kingstown, the military action series SEAL Team, and the upcoming CBS medical drama Watson.
Of course, the pipeline from Paramount to Netflix has been steadily flowing for a while now. Last year, Netflix surprised subscribers by landing the rights to the Paramount+ original movie Love in Taipei. On the TV side, the strategy of licensing Paramount+ and Showtime originals to Netflix has proven wildly successful. As we’ve tracked in our comprehensive guide to Paramount shows on Netflix, the sci-fi epic Halo enjoyed a massive bump in viewership when its first season landed on the streamer. Similarly, the teen supernatural drama School Spirits exploded in popularity after hitting Netflix, proving the “Netflix Effect” is as real as ever for these licensed properties. Elsewhere, most of the Yellowstone episodes and adjacent shows are available on Netflix internationally.
With Lawmen: Bass Reeves dropping on June 1st in the US, UK, and globally, we fully expect it to dominate the Netflix top 10 charts as subscribers devour another gritty, Taylor Sheridan-produced Western.
Will you be checking out Lawmen: Bass Reeves when it gallops onto Netflix on June 1st? Let us know in the comments down below!
