Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos proudly declares his company is “saving Hollywood” while dismissing the movie theater experience as an “outmoded idea” for the average American – yet he gleefully buys up iconic theaters like trophies for his streaming empire.
At a Glance
- Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos claims the streaming giant is “saving Hollywood” while declaring theaters “outmoded” for most Americans
- Despite his dismissal of theaters, Netflix owns prestigious venues like Los Angeles’ Bay Theater and New York’s Paris Theater
- Box office numbers continue to decline as Americans increasingly prefer watching movies from their couches
- Hollywood legends like Willem Dafoe and Steven Soderbergh disagree with Sarandos, arguing theaters still have cultural relevance
Netflix’s CEO Declares Victory Over Traditional Hollywood
In what can only be described as a mixture of heroic self-aggrandizement and funeral director-style pragmatism, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos has boldly proclaimed that his streaming behemoth is “saving Hollywood” while simultaneously hammering nails into the traditional movie theater coffin. Speaking at the Time100 Summit in New York City, Sarandos didn’t mince words about what he sees as the inevitable death of the communal cinema experience, declaring that going to theaters is “an outmoded idea for most people.” How generous of him to inform millions of Americans that their cherished movie-going traditions are essentially obsolete relics of a bygone era!
But fear not, dear conservative movie lovers – Sarandos magnanimously acknowledges that theaters aren’t dead for EVERYONE, just for the peasantry who don’t live in Manhattan’s elite neighborhoods. “If you’re fortunate enough to live in Manhattan, and you can walk to a multiplex and see a movie, that’s fantastic,” Sarandos conceded, as if most Americans are stranded in entertainment deserts with no access to these mysterious edifices called “movie theaters.” The Netflix executive appears blissfully unbothered by the decline of the American movie theater industry, which has been a cultural cornerstone for generations.
The Streaming Takeover
The audacity of Sarandos’ claim that Netflix is “saving Hollywood” would be laughable if it weren’t for the troubling reality it represents – the systematic dismantling of shared cultural experiences in favor of isolated, algorithm-driven content consumption. While Netflix has undeniably created a platform for content that might otherwise never see the light of day, it’s done so at the expense of the communal viewing experience that shaped American entertainment culture for over a century. What’s truly ironic is that this so-called savior of Hollywood has yet to win a Best Picture Oscar despite its billions in content spending.
“I believe it is an outmoded idea, for most people – not for everybody.” – Ted Sarandos.
In the ultimate display of elitist hypocrisy, Sarandos boasts about Netflix owning prestigious theaters like Los Angeles’ Bay Theater and New York’s Paris Theater. It’s almost as if he’s collecting these iconic venues as trophies to display in Netflix’s corporate museum of conquered territories. “We’re preserving the experience, not the business,” Sarandos clarified, as if that makes the cannibalization of the theater industry somehow more palatable. This is the equivalent of trophy hunting an endangered species while claiming you’re doing it to preserve wildlife.
Hollywood’s Old Guard Pushes Back
Not everyone in Hollywood is ready to surrender to the streaming overlords. Veteran actor Willem Dafoe has lamented the decline of cinemas, pointing out the stark difference in attention and social discourse when watching films at home versus in a theater. Meanwhile, acclaimed filmmaker Steven Soderbergh remains optimistic about theaters’ future, emphasizing their continued appeal as a “great destination.” Unlike Sarandos, these artists understand that the value of cinema extends beyond mere content delivery to our living room couches.
“I think people still want to go out, there’s still an appeal to seeing a movie in a movie theater. It’s still a great destination. And it really depends, I think, on our ability to attract, to convince the older audiences to continue to come out […] It has nothing to do with windowing.” – Steven Soderbergh.
What’s particularly galling about Sarandos’ crusade against traditional theaters is how it perfectly encapsulates the progressive mindset of destroying established cultural institutions while claiming to be their savior. Netflix didn’t build Hollywood – it’s methodically dismantling it while repackaging the parts for digital consumption. The streaming platform has trained viewers to expect instant gratification and endless content options, fundamentally altering how Americans engage with storytelling. The question conservative Americans should be asking is: at what cost to our shared cultural experiences does this “saving” come?
