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Kris Jenner Faced With ‘Economic Realities’ When Considering Future of ‘The Kardashians’
Kris Jenner is breathing a huge sigh of relief after The Kardashians was renewed for 20 more episodes on Hulu. However, a streaming business insider exclusively tells Life & Style that it’s only a temporary reprieve and the show is likely on borrowed time as bosses can’t afford to keep paying their exorbitant salaries in the long term.
“Kris wants the show to go on forever, but the economic realities of the streaming world are creeping up on her whether she likes it or not,” the source explains to Life & Style. “That means everything – marketing budgets, fees, episode counts – is getting tighter in the name of [a streaming service like Hulu] making a profit.”
Kris, 68, “has to adapt to the times and make a smaller episode order work for her and the girls, for the sake of keeping the show going.”
Despite needing to make compromises with the streaming service, the insider says she won’t necessarily have to take a pay cut herself. “Because she isn’t just a producer, she’s also a star and her name is on the label,” the source says. “Stars still get paid like stars in streaming, but it’s everything else about these shows that’s shrinking.”
After season 5 of The Kardashians premiered in May, the premiere episode secured an impressive 3.9 million views globally in its first four days on Hulu, Disney+ and Star+. Following the success of season 5, the series was renewed for season 6 in July.
Kris – who previously appeared on Keeping Up With the Kardashians from 2007 until 2021 with her family – stars on the show alongside daughters Kourtney Kardashian Barker, Kim Kardashian, Khloé Kardashian, Kendall Jenner and Kylie Jenner.
While the show’s long term future is not guaranteed, an additional source previously told Life & Style that Kim, 43, has less time to film her family’s reality show after committing to star on Hulu’s new Ryan Murphy series.
“Kim is broadening her horizons and banking on her fruitful relationship with TV producer Ryan Murphy to become a full-blown dramatic actress,” the insider shared, noting that Kris is worried about how Kim’s new career venture may impact The Kardashians.
The source continued, “If you know Kris, she has said for years that she wants The Kardashians franchise to go on forever, and the reality show is still super important to Khloé and Kourtney especially.”
While reflecting on the family’s transition from E! to the streaming service, the insider said that the momager “put so much work into moving the franchise to Hulu and updating it for the streaming era.”
“It would be a real shame if it ended after a short run,” the source noted. “But that doesn’t change the fact that Kim has found this new passion for acting, and that means a lot of 18-hour shooting days where the reality TV camera can’t follow her around.”
After noting that Kim’s new acting gig could cut her reality TV appearances by 80 percent, the insider said Kris isn’t sure if The Kardashians can go on without the Skims mogul. “Kris would rather make fewer episodes a year, but have full access to Kim, than have to make a bunch of episodes that barely feature her,” the source shared.
