Netflix acquires international TV rights to THE EXPANSE

In a surprise move, Netflix have acquired global TV distribution rights to SyFy's The Expanse. The exceptions are the USA, where the show continues to air on SyFy; Canada, where it airs on SPACE; and New Zealand, where another distributor has the rights. Netflix will begin streaming Season 1 of The Expanse on 3 November.

The news is surprising as a previous deal with Amazon had been mooted, with it sounding like a done deal. Clearly Netflix put up a superior offer to acquire the show, which has had a patchy international distribution pattern to date.

This is a canny move by Netflix to enhance their space opera programming. Netflix recently acquired the rights to all six Star Trek TV series outside of the US and will show the seventh, Star Trek: Discovery, starting in May 2017.

Meanwhile, Daniel Abraham, co-author of The Expanse novels (alongside Ty Franck, with both writing as James S.A. Corey), has posted an image from Season 2 showing fan-favourite new character Bobbi Draper in her power armour on the surface of Mars.

Season 2 of The Expanse is expected to air in early 2017. The sixth Expanse novel, Babylon's Ashes, is released next month.