Netflix is pivoting away from prestige

A series of high-profile director exits makes it seem like the streamer is rethinking its strategy for success.

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On Thursday, Netflix shared that its production deal with David Fincher is coming to an end after six years. First announced in 2020 , the partnership — which was originally scheduled to last for four years — gave Netflix the exclusive streaming rights to Fincher’s then-upcoming projects like his Herman J. Mankiewicz biographical drama, Mank . With Fincher having previously executive produced original series for Netflix like House of Cards and Mindhunter , the deal seemed to be a sign of Netflix having faith in his ability to keep audiences riveted.

At the time, Fincher joked that Mank ’s critical reception and box office performance before it began streaming would determine what kinds of projects Netflix would let him make. Critics generally praised the film and it was ultimately nominated for 10 Academy Awards — two of which it won. But during Mank ’s three-week theatrical run, it only made around $100,000 against a $25 million budget, and once it hit Netflix, it only managed to spend a single day on the streamer’s list of its top 10 most-watched movies (in last place). Though Fincher’s next project for Netflix — 2023’s The Killer — debuted at No. 1 on the chart , the project’s $452,000 box office gross against a $175 million budget made it another financial dud. And with The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth set to show in theaters for two weeks before it hits Netflix on December 23rd, the film could be another example of Fincher delivering a movie that isn’t exactly a huge monetary win for the streamer.

Fincher’s track record with Netflix is somewhat similar to director Shawn Levy’s. After almost a decade of working exclusively with the streamer on projects including Stranger Things , The Adam Project , and Shadow and Bone , Levy announced last month that he had signed a new overall production deal with Disney . Levy — whose directing career began with a number of Disney Channel series — framed his decision to leave Netflix as a kind of homecoming. But it was hard not to see his jumping ship as having been prompted by the way Stranger Things ’ final season left audiences and critics disappointed.

The same was true when Stranger Things co-creators Matt and Ross Duffer announced last August 2025 that they were leaving Netflix for a four-year TV / film production deal with Paramount. The brothers could still have a hand in future Stranger Things projects, and their next series — The Boroughs — debuted on Netflix this past May to respectable numbers . But just one month after its release, The Boroughs was canceled .