Cannes Boss Says Fincher is Not Anymore “On the Same Level” Because of Netflix

[claws]

Cannes boss, Thierry Fremaux, was a guest speaker at the Goteborg Film Festival. He had some interesting things to say about cinema, festivals, and, most intriguingly, Netflix.

Fremaux, again, cited David Fincher as a filmmaker who left cinema to make platform movies. Here's the exact quote:

He's still a great filmmaker, but he doesn't exist at the same level in our hearts and minds as in the past. He wants to work alone, quietly, making his films for platforms. It's a different world. We miss him. We want him back in our world.
As you know, Cannes does not screen Netflix films, at least they haven't since 2017 ("The Meyerowitz Stories" and "Okja") which was the first and last time the streamer went on the Croisette. I was there, at screenings for both of those films, and when the Netflix logo appeared before the film began, a loud chorus of boos could be heard from the audience.

These comments from Fremaux parallel what he had previously stated about Fincher — he's of the belief that Fincher and cinema no longer co-exist:

Fincher has left cinema. Fincher now works for streamers where he's directing incredible stuff. I tried to explain this to him, modestly, obviously, that he doesn't exist anymore. At least for us. For reasons left up to his own liking, he wants his creative freedom, he doesn't want to fight with studio heads, his films tend to be very expensive, but I'd love for him to come back to cinema. He's one of the greats.

I actually did not know that Cannes does not screen Netflix products.

[Alex]

I'd heard festivals were getting a bit snobby about streaming products. I think they are doing a King Canute myself and that sooner or later this will have to change. For better or worse, online I think is going to be the way forward.

[Rev. Powell]

Netflix will occasionally film screen films there out of competition. The problem is Cannes has a weird and fairly purposeless rule that in-competition films must agree not to go to streaming until 15 months after finishing their theatrical run, and Netflix isn't willing to wait more than a couple months.

I understand that Netflix is changing the distribution model and this undermines the theatrical experience, but frankly Cannes is being too stuck-up here. They're only ensuring their brand of art films will play to smaller and smaller audiences.

[claws]

Netflix is not going to change up its movie strategy in the wake of the exit of film chairman Scott Stuber, according to co-CEO Ted Sarandos.

Sarandos did not directly address Stuber's departure, news of which came out Monday. But, asked on the streamer's fourth-quarter 2023 earnings interview about whether "recent management departures" might signal a shift away from original movies, Sarandos replied, "We do not plan to change our strategy or the mix [of licensed and original films]. It's always going to be that kind of blend of, first window, second window and deep catalog. We think that formula works best to entertain the world."

Netflix's original movies "are attracting some of the biggest audiences in the world," Sarandos said, adding that Netflix's original films outperform licensed titles on balance. He called out "Leave the World Behind," the dystopian thriller from executive producers Barack and Michelle Obama that stars Mahershala Ali, Myha'la Herrold, Julia Roberts and Ethan Hawke. That garnered 134.2 million views (as tallied by Netflix) worldwide in Q4, according to the company. Sarandos also cited Jennifer Lopez's action-hero movie "The Mother," which Netflix said had 249.9 million hours viewed in the first half of 2023; analysts at LightShed suggested that huge number made it one of the biggest movies of 2023.

Netflix's original films "do uniquely distinguish us from the competition," Sarandos said, touting the company's 18 Oscars nominations across 10 different films.

"Fans really don't care much about budgets and windows — they just want a movie that they love. They want a movie to make them cry, or make them laugh, give them something great to talk about over dinner," Sarandos said.

Stuber, who joined Netflix in 2017 after serving as co-president of production at Universal Pictures, had dramatically increased the streamer's original film output and forged important relationships with the likes of Oscar winners Alfonso Cuarón, Spike Lee and Martin Scorsese. Stuber is expected to stay on through mid-March, with a successor to be recruited by chief content officer Bela Bajaria.

Films coming to Netflix in 2024 include Zack Snyder's "Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver," as well as "Back in Action" with Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx, "Carry On" from Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment starring Jason Bateman and Taron Edgerton, "Spellbound" from producer John Lasseter, Eddie Murphy reprising his role in "Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F" and "Six Triple Eight" starring Kerry Washington and directed by Tyler Perry.

Tyler Perry and Netflix have formed a creative partnership.

New Madeas sometime in the future?