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The Academy Award-winning director of
big-screen classics such as "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,"
"Schindler's List" and "Saving Private Ryan" will continue to
direct and produce movies for Comcast Corp's Universal Pictures
under a separate agreement.
The new arrangement brings a high-profile name to the list of
talent working with Netflix at a time when a host of competitors
including Walt Disney Co and Amazon.com Inc are competing for
streaming audiences.
Spielberg had been at odds with Netflix in recent years when he
argued that movies seen primarily on television should be
eligible for Emmys and not Oscars. He has spoken out about
wanting to preserve the experience of seeing movies in theaters.
"My entire life has been spent trying to give audiences
something in a large, large forum," Spielberg told Reuters in
2018. "I love the whole feeling of social interaction outside
... Those are the kinds of audiences I like to talk to."
Netflix, which plans to release more than 70 movies this year,
sends some of its films to theaters for limited runs. The
company operates the world's largest streaming service with
nearly 209 million subscribers worldwide.
In a statement, Spielberg said discussions with Netflix Co-Chief
Executive Ted Sarandos showed "it was abundantly clear that we
had an amazing opportunity to tell new stories together and
reach audiences in new ways."
Amblin produces several movies beyond the ones that Spielberg
directs himself.
Recent Amblin projects included 2018 best picture winner "Green
Book" and 2019 World War One drama "1917," both distributed by
Universal. It is possible Spielberg could direct some of
Amblin's movies provided to Netflix.
Financial terms of Amblin's deal with Netflix were not
disclosed.
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Howard Goller)
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