Netflix’s latest round of layoffs has reached its film division, with Doug Belgrad, vice president of film and a key partner to film chief Dan Lin, departing as the streamer cuts approximately 1,000 employees, or 6% of its global workforce. Belgrad’s exit comes shortly after he attended the Los Angeles world premiere of Ben Affleck’s Animals, a crime thriller he helped oversee for Netflix. His departure marks another change in the company’s film operation as Netflix reassesses its spending, movie strategy and position in Hollywood.
Dan Lin brought Belgrad on board in May 2024, making him one of his first major hires after taking over Netflix’s film division from Scott Stuber. The appointment followed an earlier restructuring and was intended to strengthen the team responsible for the streamer’s original movies.
Belgrad joined Netflix with extensive studio experience, having held senior positions at Sony Pictures and Columbia Pictures. His departure marks an unexpected turn for an executive recruited to help rebuild the division following an earlier shake-up. Netflix has not publicly established a direct connection between his exit and the performance of its films. However, the timing raises questions about the division’s direction as the company seeks to control costs.
Netflix’s first-half 2026 viewing report offers further context on the challenges facing its film business. The company’s films accumulated 23 billion viewing hours during the period, down 3.1% from the first half of 2025. Across the platform, however, total viewing reached a record 97 billion hours, indicating that the decline was specific to films rather than the service as a whole.
The figures highlight the challenge facing Netflix as it invests in original movies and evaluates their performance. A large release slate does not necessarily translate into sustained audience attention, particularly in an increasingly crowded entertainment market. The viewing figures do not explain Belgrad’s departure, but they underscore the importance of deciding which projects to back and how to measure their success.
Netflix’s approach to theatrical releases is also evolving. The company has traditionally prioritised streaming, with many films receiving limited cinema runs, often to qualify for awards. Selected productions are now receiving more prominent theatrical releases, accompanied by public box-office reporting.
Among these projects are David Fincher’s The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth, starring Brad Pitt, and Greta Gerwig’s The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew. Fincher’s film is scheduled for an exclusive two-week IMAX run beginning November 25, 2026, before arriving on Netflix on December 23. Gerwig’s Narnia adaptation is scheduled to open in cinemas on February 12, 2027, ahead of its streaming debut on April 2.
These release plans represent a notable shift for a company that has often resisted conventional theatrical-release strategies. However, they do not establish a universal 45-day theatrical window for Netflix films. Instead, the schedules reflect different release approaches for individual productions, allowing the company to tailor its strategy to particular titles.
A theatrical run gives filmmakers an opportunity to present their work on the big screen and reach audiences beyond the streaming platform. Netflix, meanwhile, can use cinema releases to build awareness and audience interest in some of its most ambitious productions.
The restructuring also follows Netflix’s unsuccessful pursuit of Warner Bros. Discovery. In February 2026, Netflix declined to raise its offer after Warner Bros. Discovery’s board determined that Paramount Skydance’s competing proposal was superior. Netflix concluded that matching the bid was no longer financially attractive.
The failed deal left Netflix without the additional studio and streaming assets it had sought. Although no direct link has been established between the acquisition attempt and Belgrad’s departure, the episode illustrates the financial calculations shaping Hollywood’s next phase, as major entertainment companies weigh the costs of expansion against their long-term strategic priorities.
Belgrad’s exit marks another significant change behind the scenes at Netflix. As the company reassesses its spending and expands theatrical opportunities for selected films, it faces the challenge of turning those investments into movies that attract audiences, whether in cinemas or at home.