Netflix’s Ted Sarandos On Original Film Output Post Scott Stuber: “We Do Not Plan To Change Our Strategy”

deadline.com:

Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos was asked by an analyst on today’s Q4 earnings call if “the recent management departure” would impact the streamer’s future plans for making original feature films. “Recent management departure” meaning Film Boss Scott Stuber (who wasn’t specifically name-checked on the call), who is expected to leave in March to start his own media company.

The analyst pointed out that Netflix original movies, even though they outperform licensed titles in viewers and hours, don’t have the same kind of cultural impact that the streamer’s series do. “Our original movies are attracting some of the biggest audiences in the world,” heralded Sarandos, giving a shoutout to Sam Esmail’s thriller feature, Leave the World Behind, starring Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke and Myha’la. RELATED: Netflix Co-Chief Ted Sarandos Says WWE Deal Is “Right In The Sweet Spot” Of Emerging “Drama Of Sport” Strategy “Look at the crazy memes about the creepy deers when that movie came out, or Society of the Snow which was nominated for two Oscars.

Or even look back last year at Jennifer Lopez’s great movie, The Mother. By some accounts, it was the most watched movie in the world last year.” “Fans don’t really care about budgets and windows, they just want a movie that they love.

They want a movie to make them cry, or make them laugh, or give them something great to talk about over dinner,” Sarandos added. RELATED: Netflix Co-Chief Greg Peters Says He Considered An Ad Strategy Similar To Amazon’s, But Didn’t Want To “Force Members Into A Change” “Our original films outperform those licensed films, and they do uniquely distinguish us from the competition,” the exec asserted, “Just this morning, our