‘Netflix Thinks Exactly Like an Old Movie Studio’
The past few months haven’t been kind to Netflix, at least according to the news. The company’s stock price plunged amid news of lost subscribers; it has had mass layoffs; and after years of growth and rosy predictions, its domination of the streaming world no longer seems a given. Such a fragile moment might feel like an odd time to double down on making expensive blockbusters. But that’s exactly what Netflix is doing.
Since 2015, the streamer has become a reliable producer of original films that have permeated the culture: , , and , to name a few. It has attracted top-tier directors such as Martin Scorsese, Alfonso Cuarón, and Jane Campion. And it has amassed dozens of Oscar nominations. But these films seemed most interested in filling the gaps left by Hollywood’s major legacy studios, which had begun focusing on franchises with global box-office appeal. Netflix churned out rom-coms and grown-up dramas, as well as passion projects from famous directors who were having difficulty getting them made elsewhere. Although those films haven’t disappeared from the streamer’s offerings, lately you may have noticed that your carousel is full of
