CEO Ted Sarandos says Netflix is ‘saving Hollywood’, leaves internet fuming: ‘He’ll never see a penny from me'

At the TIME100 Summit, Ted Sarandos was asked “Have you destroyed Hollywood?” And his response has left everyone shocked.

Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos has sparked a debate after responding to a question about whether Netflix is destroying Hollywood. He claimed that Netflix is actually "saving Hollywood”. His bold claim has left the internet divided.

Ted Sarandos expressed his views at TIME100 Summit. (Photo by Frederic J. BROWN / AFP) (AFP)

What did Ted Sarandos say

At the TIME100 Summit, Ted was asked “Have you destroyed Hollywood?” “No, we’re saving Hollywood,” said the Netflix co-CEO.

He added, “Netflix is a very consumer-focused company. We really do care that we deliver the program to you in a way you want to watch it. What does that say? What is the consumer trying to tell us? That they’d like to watch movies at home, thank you. The studios and the theatres are duking it out over trying to preserve this 45-day window that is completely out of step with the consumer experience of just loving a movie.”

He was also asked about the communal aspect of theatrical moviegoing, following which the Netflix head admitted that he loved theaters but believes “it is an outmoded idea, for most people — not for everybody”.

As per Variety, Netflix owns Los Angeles’ Bay Theater and New York’s Paris Theater. The platform also gives limited theatrical releases to films seeking awards qualification, such as 2022’s Knives Out sequel Glass Onion and 2024’s Emilia Pérez.

During the conversation, Ted went on to warn Hollywood not to get “trapped” behind wanting audiences to see films in theaters because that’s how the film industry wants audiences to watch them. Instead, he feels Hollywood should adapt to the way in which audiences want to watch movies.

Social media users react

Ted's claim that Netflix is "saving Hollywood" has sparked a firestorm on the internet. While some are nodding in agreement, others are firing back with criticism, leaving the online community buzzing with debate.

“Ted Sarandos has no idea what the f**k he’s talking about,” one social media user shared, with another saying, “This sounds d**b but I learned that Ted Sarandos apparently never went to a movie theater growing up and when he became a video store clerk he literally thought the idea of going to a movie theater was dumb so that tracts”.

“I think ted sarandos should be an outdated idea for everybody alive,” one comment read, with another reading, “Theatrical experience will never die. You d*******s are trying to kill it, yet people still show up when it matters the most”.

One movie lover shared “Ted Sarandos, YOU HAVE FAILED CINEMA”, and another noted “Christopher Nolan and Ryan Coogler proving the falsity of Ted Sarandos’s narrow vision of movies”.

“Ted Sarandos breathing is an outmoded idea for most people,” one joked. One post read, “Ted Sarandos is wrong! Going to see movies in theaters is the best! Netflix should realise that and just start a film division to release their own movies in theaters”.

“F*** o** loser Ted Sarandos. We know Netflix goal is to end Cinema. Well Cinema is forever... no matter how long Netflix is around trying to end the Theater experience will fail. Movie buffs, cinephile will NOT LET YOU succeed Theaters will survive,” wrote one.

“Ted Sarandos will never see a penny from me and has no idea what he’s talking about,” shared one social media user, with another writing, “You are wrong about movie theaters and the experience it provides that can’t be replicated at home”.

Some defended him, writing, “He's right, video games are 3X the revenue of movies and music combined, and the last dumb Hollywood strike killed their traditional business. Unions declared victory, just like United Steelworkers declared victory over US Steel in 1986. But US Steel was once #1 in the world and is barely in the top 25 now”.

“Hollywood will be BETTER without Netflix or any streamings,even BETTER if Netflix didn’t have to f***ing disrupting the awards race anymore,” one post read.