Breaking: Ryan Murphy Parts Ways with Netflix, What this Means for Monster Season 2

Ryan Murphy, the renowned TV producer, is set to leave Netflix and join Disney, raising questions about the future of Monster season 2. In 2018, Murphy made waves by signing a lucrative $300 million deal with Netflix, solidifying his status as one of the streaming giant's top talents alongside Shonda Rhimes. While he has been involved in numerous projects on the platform, it was his recent successes with the anthology series Monster and The Watcher that truly made an impact. Both shows have been greenlit for a second season.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Murphy's departure from Netflix will coincide with the end of his five-year contract. It is expected that he will reunite with Dana Walden, his former collaborator at 20th Century Fox TV who now serves as the co-chair of Disney Entertainment. Although the details of the deal have yet to be finalized, it is worth noting that Murphy will still have the opportunity to continue working on his existing Netflix projects, including Monster season 2.

Why Is Ryan Murphy Leaving Netflix?

Murphy's track record at Netflix has been inconsistent, despite the recent success of The Watcher and Monster. While some of his projects gained initial attention, they ultimately failed to resonate with subscribers. Hollywood, The Politician, Ratched, Halston, and The Prom were among the projects that did not meet expectations. Prior to the success of Monster and The Watcher, there were doubts about whether Murphy's nine-figure deal with Netflix was a disappointment.

In addition to the underwhelming content, there was dissatisfaction at Netflix due to the special arrangement in Murphy's contract. This allowed him to continue working on his FX shows, such as American Horror Story, American Crime Story, and Feud, while being contracted with Netflix. The discontent among Netflix executives reportedly intensified when Murphy developed spinoffs like American Sports Story and American Love Story for the Disney conglomerate, all while still being associated with Netflix. Interestingly, despite his departure for a competitor, reports indicate that Murphy will still be permitted to work on his Netflix shows.

Murphy's departure could be primarily attributed to personal connections. He had previously expressed his loyalty to Fox, which is now part of the Disney conglomerate. Alongside his close bond with Walden, he also shares a longstanding history with FX executive John Landgraf. However, it appears that this transition will not affect the production of Monster season 2, which will center around the story of Lyle and Erik Menendez.