Chris Rock to Do Two Stand Up Specials with Netflix for $40 Million

Chris Rock hasn't done stand-up comedy in nearly a decade. Who knew that all it would take was a measly $40 million to get the legendary comedian to grace the stage once again?

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Chris Rock earned himself a whopping $40 million to partake in two Netflix specials, which will find the comedian spewing some of his best jokes in recent memory. That deal is worth way more than anything Louis C.K., Jerry Seinfeld and Amy Schumer could have commanded.

"Chris Rock is a beloved actor and director, and his remarkable stand-up makes him comic royalty. There is no one like him, and Netflix offers the global platform and creative freedom that will serve as a perfect home for someone with his incredible talent,” said Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos in a statement this past Thursday (Oct. 13).

Rock's first special will be taped in 2017, that will be spearheaded by a new tour that he has planned. As of now, it's unclear as to when the first tape will air, and when the second one will be filmed and rolled out.

His decision to work with Netflix is a huge blow to HBO, considering the venerable comedian had a 20-year relationship with the company that stems from his bevy of specials, including Bigger & Blacker and Never Scared as well as his talk show The Chris Rock Show.

"Increasingly, Netflix is becoming the preeminent destination for stand-up comedy, partnering with top-tier talent across a wide variety of styles and humor, enabling them to bring their fresh, distinctive and hilarious voices to our members in 190 countries around the world," said Lisa Nishimura, the VP of original documentary and comedy at Netflix. "Our members discover every day that we truly offer something for every comedy fan, and the comedians we partner with understand the power of having a direct line to our ever-growing global audience. Coming on the heels of our first Emmy win in the category (Patton Oswalt: Talking for Clapping), now is the perfect time to take things to the next level with Chris Rock."

See 100 Hip-Hop Facts That Will Blow Your Mind