Netflix has a new film chief who is making priorities clear: to produce fewer, better movies, with actors expected to earn their roles on merit. Netflix has no intention of embracing theatrical releases.
The streaming giant recently bowed to cinemas when it agreed to delay Narnia: The Magician's Nephew and grant one of its films a 45-day theatrical exclusivity window for the first time. The release is scheduled for February 2027.
But Narnia is an exception, according to Netflix's new chairman of Netflix Films, Dan Lin. Lin, who has previously produced titles including The LEGO Movie and Sherlock Holmes, took over at Netflix in April 2024 following Scott Stuber, whose background was rooted in the traditional studio system through Universal.
Netflix' new film strategy
Dan Lin wants to shake things up and in an interview with The New York Times he emphasized that Netflix's new strategy is to spend less money on fewer, better films.
That does not mean Netflix is turning into a traditional movie studio. During his first two years, Lin has greenlit 88 films, which is still an unusually high number, but fewer than under his predecessor. By comparison, traditional studios such as Warner Bros and Universal typically release 12-15 films a year.
- "The goal was to have really great movies on Netflix and have consistency in quality, and he (Dan Lin) has delivered that," Bela Bajaria, Chief Content Officer at Netflix, told The New York Times.
Some of these titles include Apex, The Rip and People We Meet on Vacation.
No plans for theatrical releases
In addition to Narnia, Netflix has delayed The Adventures of Cliff Booth (working title), starring Brad Pitt, written by Quentin Tarantino and directed by David Fincher, to give the film an exclusive IMAX release – but not a wide theatrical run.
The decision to give the two high-profile films theatrical premieres, but make paying subscribers wait, has been welcomed in Hollywood, but reactions among Netflix users have been noticeably cooler.
Perhaps that is why Dan Lin felt the need to set the record straight in his interview with The New York Times.
- "There is a group of filmmakers who still want theatrical. Those are filmmakers that we've accepted we just won't work with," said Lin.
The New York Times added that colleagues describe Lin as candid and as a leader who does not flatter major stars; actors do not land roles based on reputation, but primarily on their abilities.
Another major Netflix production in the pipeline is Here Comes the Flood, starring Denzel Washington and Robert Pattinson. Like the two other films switched to a theatrical release strategy, its release date remains uncertain. Time will tell whether it becomes another exception or if it will hit Netflix first.
- Source: The New York Times
