Is Walt Longmire about to ride again?
Deadline is reporting that series producer Warner Horizon Television is in talks with Netflix to pick up a fourth season of the Wyoming set cop drama.
The studio has been shopping the Robert Taylor and Katee Sackhoff fronted series for the better part of two months, since it was unexpectedly cancelled by original network A&E – despite the fact that Longmire ranked as their highest ever rated drama series (in total viewers).
The news comes after TVWise previously reported back in September that sources Warner Bros. had indicated that the only real hopes of the series continuing on for a fourth season was if A&E reversed course (which was highly unlikely) or if Netflix picked it up.
Despite the strong working relationship between the companies, exemplified by the global deal for Gotham, talks between the streaming service and WB are said to have been tricky and it is still unclear if a deal for a fourth season will emerge
A key sticking point for a deal may be global rights. When Netflix picked up The Killing from Fox Television Studios, they required first window rights in all territories where they have a presence. That is something that may be an issue for WB considering the strong sales and revenue the show brings them through international deals brokered by Warner Bros International Television Distribution.
Should the two parties resolve the underlying issues and greenlight a new season of Longmire, Warner Horizon Television would be looking to begin production in March 2015.