Netflix Set to Run 'House of Cards'

It practically dominates the movie rental/streaming industry, and now Netflix has set its sights on original programming. In a deal between the movie-streaming powerhouse and House of Cards execs David Fincher and Kevin Spacey, Netflix beat out a number of major cable networks, including HBO and AMC, to provide programming for the drama series. Netflix offered a two-season commitment—that’s 26 episodes— in a straight-to-series order, which is estimated at around $100 million. With the news of Facebook’s recent deal to stream Warner Bros.’ The Dark Knight, this move seems like a logical progression for Netflix. But, as Nikki Finke at Deadline.com speculates, “it will also put the company to the test.”