“The real power of Netflix is not the stuff we talk about [think Stranger Things]; it’s The Witcher, Money Heist, Dark and all the international stuff — not making more Ozark. And [Bela] made smart acquisitions and spear-headed unscripted, too.”
“While Netflix came to town with the promise of a new playbook, Sarandos is increasingly shaping the streamer as a more traditional Hollywood conglomerate.”
Netflix changed Hollywood, but Hollywood also changed Netflix. It goes both ways, always.
I’m currently reading No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention, and this news may provide more insights into current Netflix culture and operations than the book is willing to divulge. After all, Mr. Sarandos is taking over Netflix after Reed Hastings steps down.
And this transition may prove to be more challenging than its foray into a streaming service, or mounting its own original productions.