Baumbach Exits Netflix, Signs First-Look Deal with Clockwork — SkimNews
Get the Culture newsletter
Daily culture — film, music, books, the trends and ideas worth your attention. Free.
- Noah Baumbach signed a first-look producing deal with Warner Bros. and its specialized label Clockwork, beginning in 2027, after five years under a Netflix deal.
- Baumbach's next film will be written, directed, and produced by him — his first theatrical release since 2015 — and produced alongside David Heyman and Margot Robbie's LuckyChap banner.
- His four Netflix films were "The Meyerowitz Stories," "Marriage Story" (Oscar-nominated), "White Noise," and "Jay Kelly"; the latter two underperformed as awards contenders, with internal grumblings about the cost of "White Noise."
- Dan Lin's Netflix has shifted toward more populist projects since replacing former film chief Scott Stuber, who originally signed Baumbach to his Netflix deal.
- Baumbach's Warner Bros. history includes co-writing "Barbie" with Greta Gerwig (earning an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay) and scripting "Fantastic Mr. Fox" and "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" with Wes Anderson.
- Clockwork, led by former Neon executive Christian Parkes, has new films from Park Chan-wook and Sean Baker already in its pipeline.
Why it matters: The 2027 deal returns Baumbach to theatrical filmmaking after a decade away and places him at Clockwork, where former Neon exec Christian Parkes is building a prestige slate alongside Park Chan-wook and Sean Baker. LuckyChap — Margot Robbie's banner — co-produces, extending the company beyond its usual fare. Baumbach's exit aligns with Dan Lin's populist pivot at Netflix, where his last two films failed to deliver awards returns.
Ask SkimNews
