News

Netflix’s co-founder Reed Hastings will be stepping down from his role as Executive Chairman.

Moving forward, Hastings will be Chairman of the Board as well as a non-executive director. The news, which was made “as part of the natural evolution of our leadership structure and succession planning,” was announced as part of Netflix’s first quarter earnings report for 2025.

Additionally, Tim Haley, who is the longest standing independent director for the company, will not be returning for re-election. This decision was not related to Hasting’s role change.

“For more than 27 years, Tim has been on this journey with us and his counsel and leadership have been a much valued part of our success. We thank Tim for his long service and many contributions to the Netflix Board of Directors,” Netflix wrote in a letter to shareholders.

Hastings co-founded Netflix with Marc Randolph in 1997 and served as the streamer...

Apollo 13, NASA's third planned moon landing mission after Apollos 11 and 12, saw an extremely unlucky and nearly fatal problem become a triumphant display of human ingenuity. In April 1970, after suffering a catastrophic mechanical failure that rendered astronauts Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, and Jack Swigert unable to reach the moon, the three men were able to successfully turn around and land their stricken ship safely in the Pacific Ocean, leading NASA to dub the mission "a successful failure." Two and a half decades later, filmmaker Ron Howard accurately reenacted the harrowing NASA mission in his 1995 film Apollo 13, starring Tom Hanks as Lovell, which was nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

Two years later, another embarrassing failure involving Apollo 13 (the film) would lead to an incredible success, when Reed Hastings found a VHS copy of Apollo 13 that he had borrowed from his local Blockbuster long ago and forgotten to return.

Stock shares in Netflix, Inc. recently closed at an unprecedented high of $886.81 (usd) suddenly making the value of all other studio streaming services look like chopped liver:

“… founded by Marc Randolph and Wilmot Reed Hastings Jr. in 1997, ‘Netflix, Inc’, a streaming entertainment service company provides subscription service streaming movies and television episodes over the Internet and sending DVDs by mail.

“It operates through the following segments: Domestic Streaming, International Streaming and Domestic DVD. The Domestic Streaming segment derives revenues from monthly membership fees for services consisting of streaming content to its members in the United States.

“The International Streaming segment includes fees from members outside the United States.

“The Domestic DVD segment covers revenues from services consisting of DVD-by-mail.“

Click the images to enlarge…...

Earlier this year, the revelation came that former Netflix co-ceo and co-founder Reed Hastings donated $7 million dollars of his own money to support Kamala Harris bid for the White House. The news sparked an immediate backlash on social media, with the hashtag #CancelNetflix trending for more than 24 hours. Now, two months later, we have our first look at how Hastings political contribution affected the streaming juggernauts' bottom line.

According to a new report from IndieWire, data collected from Antenna shows that Netflixs average daily cancellations increased 2.7x for the period of July 2529 when compared to the previous two weeks, with the 26th providing the largest number of users saying adios to the platform in the past year. Things returned to normal for Netflix by the end of the month, but its clear that some damage had been done when you take into consideration that June averaged 1.8% in cancellations and August...

After multiple attempts at kick-starting new trilogies of films have failed, the live-action Terminator film series is, understandably, taking a bit of a break… but the franchise is set to continue with an eight-episode anime series called Terminator Zero, which is coming our way from Japanese animation studio Production Ig and the Netflix streaming service. Terminator Zero is set to start streaming on August 29th – and with that date a week away, the full 6 minute opening sequence of the show has arrived online! You can check it out in the embed above.

Terminator Zero is set in the established Terminator universe but centers on new characters. Mattson Tomlin, who worked on the screenplays for The Batman and its upcoming sequel, is writer and showrunner on this series, which has the following synopsis: 2022: A future war has raged for decades between the few human survivors and an endless army of machines.

If you were to stick a pin in a timeline at the exact moment Silicon Valley declared war on Hollywood, it would likely land on Aug. 29, 1997. That’s the date Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph got together in Scotts Valley, about an hour south of San Francisco, and started a little DVD delivery company called Netflix.

The rest is history: Within just a couple of decades, all the traditional pillars of the old entertainment order started to crumble. Linear television, cable TV, theatrical box office — nothing was left standing, at least not as tall as it once had. This we all know, all too well.

But here’s what’s new. Very recently, just over the past several weeks, there have been signs that Southern California once again is rising — or trying to, at any rate. This time, though, the civil war with the north isn’t over digital platform...

After multiple attempts at kick-starting new trilogies of films have failed, the live-action Terminator film series is, understandably, taking a bit of a break… but the franchise is set to continue with an eight-episode anime series called Terminator Zero, which is coming our way from Japanese animation studio Production Ig and the Netflix streaming service. Terminator Zero is set to start streaming on August 29th – and today, a teaser trailer for the show has arrived online! You can check it out in the embed above.

Terminator Zero is set in the established Terminator universe but centers on new characters. Mattson Tomlin, who worked on the screenplays for The Batman and its upcoming sequel, is writer and showrunner on this series, which has the following synopsis: 2022: A future war has raged for decades between the few human survivors and an endless army of machines. 1997: The AI known as Skynet...

After multiple attempts at kick-starting new trilogies of films have failed, the live-action Terminator film series is, understandably, taking a bit of a break… but the franchise is set to continue with an eight-episode anime series called Terminator Zero, which is coming our way from Japanese animation studio Production Ig and the Netflix streaming service. Terminator Zero is set to start streaming on August 29th – and with that date swiftly approaching, it has been revealed at the Next on Netflix: Animation event in Los Angeles that Timothy Olyphant provides the voice of the Terminator in this series!

Terminator Zero is set in the established Terminator universe but centers on new characters. Mattson Tomlin, who worked on the screenplays for The Batman and its upcoming sequel, is writer and showrunner on this series, which has the following synopsis: 2022: A future war has raged for decades between the few human survivors...

After multiple attempts at kick-starting new trilogies of films have failed, the live-action Terminator film series is, understandably, taking a bit of a break… but the franchise is set to continue with an eight-episode anime series called Terminator Zero, which is coming our way from Japanese animation studio Production Ig and the Netflix streaming service. Terminator Zero is set to start streaming on August 29th – and to start building the hype, a batch of first look images have arrived online today. You can check them out right here in this article.

August 29th was chosen for the release date because the Terminator films told us that the Judgment Day event occurred on August 29, 1997. Coincidentally, that was also the day Marc Randolph and Reed Hasting launched Netflix as an online DVD rental service.

Mattson Tomlin, who worked on the screenplays for The Batman and its upcoming sequel, is writer and showrunner on this series,...

Back in 1997, marketing director Marc Randolph and computer scientist Reed Hastings would carpool together while living and working in California. Both were highly talented and successful at what they did, but it was when they put their heads together that they later hit upon a game-changing idea for a company that would eventually lead to the iconic Blockbuster Video going bankrupt, and the world shifting toward their vision instead. That company was Netflix, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a corner of the globe where its name isn't known.

Given all that this streaming platform has grown to become, it's hard to believe that Netflix once started off as a DVD rental and sales website that operated by mail. The company's popularity and growth led to it later changing to a subscription service, and therein lay the model it would later use to eventually evolve again and become the world's preeminent streaming service.

Netflix employees reflect on the end of the DVD-by-mail service, acknowledging that everything has its cycle and expressing emotions about the final day of operations. The DVD service was the starting point for Netflix, which now dominates the streaming industry with a wide range of acquired and original content. According to one employee, working at Netflix provided her with valuable learning experiences, empowering her to pursue new opportunities outside the company.

Netflix employees are reflecting on the end of its DVD-by-mail service. Now, Netflix is best known for being a streaming service boasting acquired titles as well as original movies and television shows such as Stranger Things, Squid Game, Bridgerton, and To All the Boys I've Loved Before. However, they got their start by mailing DVDs directly to consumers, who had a queue of titles listed online, where they would get their next available title as soon as they returned...

Netflix is providing subscribers of its DVD-by-mail service with as many as 10 bonus discs from their queues before retiring the red envelopes permanently.

“After 25 years of movies in the mail, we’re approaching the end of our final season,” the streamer wrote in an email to subscribers, shared on Reddit. “We really appreciate that you’re sharing movie nights with us until the last day.”

The email added: “Let’s have some fun for our finale!”

Subscribers have to enroll in the promotion by the end of August, though choosing to participate doesn’t seem to ensure receiving additional discs — the last shipment will be sent Sept. 29.

Also, all of those discs still apparently have to be returned a month later, by Oct. 27.

Back in April, Netflix announced it was shuttering its disc business after 25 years.

“After an incredible 25 year run, we’ve decided to wind down DVD.com later this year,...

Netflix will officially shutter its DVD-by-mail service in September, marking the end of an era for the company. To close out the very business that the streaming giant was founded on, Netflix is mailing up to 10 discs apiece to its last-remaining DVD users.

Netflix emailed users of its DVD.com service with the unusual offer this week. Those who opt in should wait by their mailboxes starting September 29, the final day the company will ship out discs. It’s not for keeps; returns are due October 27.

“Let’s have some fun for our finale!” the email (obtained by IndieWire) reads. “You won’t know if any extra envelopes are headed your way until they arrive in your mailbox!”

The email encourages subscribers to “review your queue and move your must-watch movies to the top.”

“We wish you happy viewing and truly thank you for being part of our final season. Enjoy each and every red envelope,...

On April 18, Netflix announced that it was “sunsetting” — aka terminating — its material-world DVD rental option. The last picture show in the form of five-inch disks hand-delivered to your door in red envelopes will shut down on September 29, 2023. After 25 years of mail-order interface, “DVDs are done,” Netflix co-founder Marc Randolph declared, adding an unsentimental kiss-off: “Thank you for your service.”

Though it was only inevitable that Netflix would embrace the promise embedded in its name, the announcement struck many as another death rattle from the sickbed of physical media, that resonant term for a record album, film reel, or DVD box set you can actually get your paws on and collect. Increasingly, there is only one way to press play on home entertainment and that is by logging on and streaming (or downloading) a digital file.

Netflix’s disc-toss feels like a decisive pivot point because the trajectory of the company...

Netflix DVDs are going the way of Blockbuster. The company’s DVD rental business, formerly its main stream of revenue, will end this fall, with the final DVDs being shipped out September 29.

The news was announced Tuesday via a letter posted on Netflix’s newsroom, signed by the company’s co-ceo Ted Sarandos. In his letter, Sarandos attributed the decision to shrinking demand for DVDs but credited the company’s mail-order service for paving the way to its eventual streaming empire.

“Our goal has always been to provide the best service for our members but as the business continues to shrink that’s going to become increasingly difficult,” Sarandos said in the letter. “Those iconic red envelopes changed the way people watched shows and movies at home — and they paved the way for the shift to streaming. From the beginning, our members loved the choice and control that direct-to-consumer entertainment...

Netflix said Tuesday that it’s closing down its original DVD-by-mail business, marking the end of an era as it focuses on retooling its streaming offerings including a new ad-supported plan.

“To everyone who ever added a DVD to their queue or waited by the mailbox for a red envelope to arrive: thank you,” CEO Ted Sarandos wrote in a blog post today titled “Netflix DVD – The Final Season.”

The last discs will be mailed out September 29, and must be returned by October 27. Final bills will go out in August. Service to subscribers with DVD and streaming accounts won’t be affected.

“After an incredible 25-year run, we’ve made the difficult decision to wind down at the end of September. Our goal has always been to provide the best service for our members, but as the DVD business continues to shrink, that’s going to become increasingly difficult.

Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph, Netflix changed the game when they started shipping out DVD rentals to subscribers, and they later changed the game again when they transitioned into a video streaming service in 2007. Believe it or not, Netflix has still been shipping out DVDs in red envelopes to this day, but all things eventually come to an end.

Netflix has announced today that the Netflix DVD era is over. After 25 years, Netflix has decided to wind down their physical media branch, which had been set up at DVD.com.

Netflix co-ceo Ted Sarandos said in a statement today, “After an incredible 25 year run, we’ve decided to wind down DVD.com later this year. Our goal has always been to provide the best service for our members but as the business continues to shrink that’s going to become increasingly difficult.

“So we want to go out on a high,...

Netflix will shutter its DVD business after 25 years, with DVD.com coming to a close in 2023.

“After an incredible 25 year run, we’ve decided to wind down DVD.com later this year,” co-ceo Ted Sarandos wrote in a memo Tuesday. “Our goal has always been to provide the best service for our members but as the business continues to shrink that’s going to become increasingly difficult. So we want to go out on a high, and will be shipping our final discs on September 29, 2023.”

Founded by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in 1997, the streaming service got its start as a DVD-by-mail service. As Netflix expanded to its highly popular streaming service, boosting both library titles and the streamer’s slate of original content, DVD.com has remained in business until Tuesday’s announcement.

“Those iconic red envelopes changed the way people watched shows and movies at home — and they paved...

It's the end of an era. Reed Hastings, the man who co-founded Netflix with Marc Randolph in 1997, will be stepping down from his role as co-ceo of the massive media empire. Hastings announced the news via a press release, sharing his enthusiasm for the first 25 years of Netflix and his hope for its future. Hastings will stay on as executive chairman at the streaming giant, but Netflix COO Greg Peters will step up to fill Hasting's shoes as co-ceo alongside Ted Sarandos. In the release, Hastings said that the plan to have Peters and Sarandos co-run the streaming giant has been in the works since the pair were promoted to COO and co-ceo two and a half years ago. 

Additionally, Bela Bajaria has been promoted to Netflix's chief content officer, taking on the role Sarandos once held himself, and Scott Stuber is now chairman of Netflix Film. How these promotions...

Reed Hastings, who co-founded Netflix and led Hollywood’s charge into streaming-first strategy over the past decade, is exiting his role as co-ceo of the media giant but will stay on as executive chairman, the company said Thursday.

As part of the succession, COO Greg Peters will become co-ceo alongside Ted Sarandos, who has held that title since July 2020. In a statement, Hastings said the plan has been in the works for some time, since the elevation of Sarandos and Peters two and a half years ago.

“It was a baptism by fire, given Covid and recent challenges within our business,” Hastings wrote in a post on Netflix’s site. “But they’ve both managed incredibly well, ensuring Netflix continues to improve and developing a clear path to reaccelerate our revenue and earnings growth. So the board and I believe it’s the right time to complete my succession.”

Peters,...

Netflix's Blockbuster show, a modern sitcom set in the world's last existing Blockbuster video rental store, is actually an incredibly ironic production that relates to both companies' varied histories. Starring Shortcomings director Randall Park as a hapless and frazzled manager, the series revolves around the misadventures of the store's various employees struggling to keep a doomed business afloat. However, while the eventual fate of the Blockbuster business is an interesting footnote in entertainment history, the fact that the show is hosted on Netflix is an ironic and somewhat cruel twist of fate.

The central irony at the heart of Netflix's Blockbuster show stems from Blockbuster's missed opportunity to acquire Netflix when the company was in its infancy. Back in 2000, Netflix co-founders Marc Randolph and Reed Hastings offered Blockbuster CEO John Antioco the opportunity to buy them out for 50 million. According to Randolph's book "That Will Never Work: The...

After a decade-plus of having the streaming field virtually to itself, Netflix now faces historic levels of competition. Disney and other media and tech rivals have narrowed the gap, making for a rocky 2022 marked by subscriber and stock price declines.

Yet Netflix has one thing its competitors will never have, and that’s the status of O.G. The company, which celebrates the 25th anniversary of its incorporation today, transformed the media business, consumer entertainment and culture at large. Not for nothing has its name become a verb.

As it touts the anniversary, Netflix has released a commemorative trailer (watch it above) and blog post, and promises to share nostalgic photos and other memories from the company’s DVD-by-mail origins across social media throughout the day.

In that throwback spirit, Deadline offers a tour through Netflix’s origin story, via an excerpt from Binge Times, a book co-written by this reporter and Dawn Chmielewski.

It’s a blast from the past as Netflix has given a 10-episode series order to Blockbuster, a single-camera workplace comedy starring Randall Park, which is set in the last remaining Blockbuster video store.

There is a lot of symbolism — and irony — in the pickup as Netflix started as an underdog video rental upstart that was almost crushed by then-dominant giant Blockbuster. Netflix co-founders Marc Randolph and Reed Hastings actually tried selling the company to Blockbuster for $50 million in 2000 but were rebuffed. They went on to build Netflix into one of the biggest entertainment companies in the world while Blockbuster ceased operations in 2014.

Blockbuster, the series, is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, and studio-based Davis Entertainment. Originally set up at NBC, it is created by Vanessa Ramos whose experience in workplace comedies include NBC/Uni TV’s Superstore and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, with Happy Endings creator...

Features: Marc Randolph, Nick Shepherd, John Antioco, Corey Bridges, Dawn Chmielewski, Jim Cook, Ben Cooper, J.W. Craft, Tracy DeSoto, Tom Dillon, Boris Droutman, Vita Droutman, Shane Evanfgelist, Gerrad Hall, Mitch Lowe | Written by Gina Keating | Directed by Shawn Cauthen

Based on the book Netflixed: The Epic Battle for America’s Eyeballs, Netflix vs. The World is an intriguing look at how Netflix came to dominate the streaming video landscape – from the early days of DVD rental by post, the companies “almost” sale to Blockbuster and their rise into new technologies of streaming subscription services. All told by those that were there from the beginning, including Netflix co-founder Mark Randolph… Though unfortunately Reed Hastings, the Other co-founder and current CEO of Netflix is nowhere to be seen outside of old archive footage.

Ah, the heady days of rentals. First it was VHS, where stores pooped up overnight seemingly offering an endless...

Top Chef spin-off Just Desserts is heading to Thailand alongside a second season of World of Dance after NBCUniversal closed a pair of deals. The Hollywood studio’s international formats division has signed a deal for the shows with The One Enterprise. It will produce an 11-part series of Just Desserts for its One31 channel that will see pastry chefs flex their professional skills and go head to head in a series of challenges. Top Chef also airs on One31 and was recently renewed for a third season. Meanwhile, World of Dance, which was originally produced by Universal Television Alternative Studios in association with Jennifer Lopez’ Nuyorican Productions, will run for a second season on One31. Ana Langenberg, Svp, Format Sales & Production, NBCUniversal International Formats said, “Top Chef remains as one of our most successful franchises to date, so to bring a third season and a Just Desserts spin off...