Steven Spielberg, the pioneer of modern cinema and possibly the finest director of all time, has agreed to deliver films to Netflix Inc. on a multiyear basis.
Steven Spielberg, the pioneer of modern cinema and possibly the finest director of all time, has agreed to deliver films to Netflix Inc. on a multiyear basis. According to a statement released in June 2021 by the parties, the multi-film deal with Amblin Partners expands on an existing partnership. They’ve already worked together on “The Trial of the Chicago 7” since last year and the Leonard Bernstein biography “Maestro,” which is now in production. The deal’s terms were not disclosed.
“At Amblin, storytelling will forever be at the center of everything we do, and from the minute Ted and I started discussing a partnership, it was abundantly clear that we had an amazing opportunity to tell new stories together and reach audiences in new ways,” Spielberg said in a statement, referring to Ted Sarandos, the Co-Chief Executive of Netflix.
According to the contract, the Amblin Partners will produce multiple films for Netflix, the streaming service, each year, and it comes on top of the company’s long-standing theatrical output deal with Universal, which was extended in December.
“This new avenue for our films, alongside the stories we continue to tell with our longtime family at Universal and our other partners, will be incredibly fulfilling for me personally since we get to embark on it together with Ted [Sarandos], and I can’t wait to get started with him, Scott [Stuber], and the entire Netflix team,” said Spielberg while expressing his excitement for the new partnership of Amblin with Netflix.
“Steven is a creative visionary and leader and, like so many others around the world, my growing up was shaped by his memorable characters and stories that have been enduring, inspiring, and awakening. We cannot wait to get to work with the Amblin team and we are honored and thrilled to be part of this chapter of Steven’s cinematic history,” Sarandos added.
Why Isn’t Amblin Partners On Good Terms With Netflix?
Amblin Partners does not have an exclusive relationship with Netflix because Spielberg has made comments in the past that have been perceived as critical of streaming services, specifically Netflix’s practice of screening a film in theatres for a few weeks to qualify for awards. “I don’t believe that films that are just given token qualifications, in a couple of theaters for less than a week, should qualify for the Academy Award nominations,” Spielberg said in a previous statement.
How This Deal Will Benefit Netflix
The deal is a major win for Netflix, which needs A-list talent on its roster to compete with streaming services like Disney Plus and increase its global members. Even if no new Spielberg film ever makes it to Netflix, the corporation will still benefit from his name and Amblin’s long Hollywood history.
“I want people to find their entertainment in any form or fashion that suits them. Big screen, small screen — what really matters to me is a great story and everyone should have access to great stories,” Spielberg disclosed in an email to The New York Times.
