Higher Ground Productions: The Obamas’ Netflix Success Story

Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company Higher Ground has delivered more than 20 films and series for Netflix since signing their landmark deal in 2018, proving initial skepticism wrong about the venture being merely a vanity project.

The Obamas launched Higher Ground Productions in 2018 with an exclusive overall deal at Netflix, aiming to lift up stories that help America examine itself and excavate “the better angels of our nature,” as Barack Obama described during a History Channel event in Philadelphia honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary.

Six years later, the data shows Higher Ground’s slate generated over 450 million cumulative viewing hours across documentaries, scripted series, and children’s programming by late 2023, according to Netflix’s internal viewership reports cited by Variety.

Awards and Critical Recognition

Higher Ground’s 20-plus titles for Netflix include three Emmy winners and two Oscar-nominated films, outperforming many traditional studio deals in awards-to-output ratio. Notable successes include the Oscar-winning documentary “American Factory,” the Oscar-nominated films “Rustin,” “American Symphony,” and “Crip Camp,” as well as the Will Forte series “Bodkin” and Sam Esmail’s apocalyptic thriller “Leave the World Behind.”

Strategic Impact on Netflix

The partnership helped Netflix attract educated, affluent subscribers—a key demographic in reducing churn amid rising competition from Disney+ and Max. Despite winding down the first-look deal in 2024, Higher Ground’s legacy influenced Netflix’s shift toward creator-driven, socially conscious content under co-CEO Ted Sarandos’ “quality over quantity” 2025 strategy.

Transition to Independence

Higher Ground transitioned into a first-look agreement with Netflix in 2024 and is now in the process of becoming an independent operation following eight years at the streamer. Barack Obama confirmed the change while on stage at the History Channel’s special edition of HistoryTalks in Philadelphia, stating the company is “in the process now of transitioning to a more independent [future] where we can work with a bunch of different studios.”

Future Collaborations

While preparing for indie status, Higher Ground has been testing a selling-to-everyone model by setting up projects at HBO, Apple, Amazon, FX, Disney, 20th Century Studios, Artists Equity, Laika, AMC, CBS Studios, and YouTube, while continuing to develop and produce for Netflix on existing projects. Representatives for Higher Ground and Netflix could not be reached for comment on the transition.