Co-CEO, President & Director, Netflix
Search every verified Theodore Sarandos interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. During Netflix’s Q2 2026 earnings interview on July 17, 2026, Sarandos addressed the company’s financial results, noting that revenue of $12.56 billion slightly missed Wall Street expectations of $12.59 billion, while earnings per share of $0.80 beat the consensus estimate of $0.70. He discussed the company’s approach to a potential free, ad-supported offering, stating that while it “could make sense in some markets,” Netflix has “no near-term plans to launch something” due to concerns about cannibalizing paid tiers. Sarandos also highlighted the use of generative AI in production, saying that AI-enhanced footage in one series was “produced twice as fast and at half the cost of previous options,” and noted that GenAI workflows have been used in roughly 300 Netflix titles, primarily in post-production. In a June 2026 interview on the Prof G Markets podcast, Sarandos commented on the impact of AI on the entertainment industry, stating that he believes its disruptive potential is “overestimated” and that creators have shifted from opposing AI to using tools like Claude as a “writing partner.” He also discussed the high cost of production in California, saying the state “has not been competitive for production” and that Los Angeles is “a very difficult, very expensive place to work” for film and television. Regarding the company’s acquisition strategy, Sarandos described Netflix as “primarily builders not buyers,” and said that while the company considered Warner Bros. as a “once in a generation asset,” it has a “very high bar” for major M&A.
“So, um, we're forecasting content expense up about 10% this year. It's a little higher than the 8% we averaged over the last 5 years and below the 14% that we averaged over the past decade.”
“that series features 17 minutes of AI enhanced footage. It enabled us to expand the scope of the series in ways that just wouldn't have been feasible before. those 17 minutes, Sean, they were produced twice as fast and at half the cost of previous options.”
“We're not going to comment on market speculation but I'd like to take the opportunity to remind everyone what our about our core philosophy. You know, we have multiple ways to achieve our goals producing, licensing, partnering and we're constantly seeking ways to you know to allocate our resources in the most attractiv...”
“We're making higher quality output more quickly and efficiently than we could have using traditional methods. So, GenAI workflows now have been used in roughly 300 of our titles, um, with the largest concentration right to date is on post-production. Um, but we're leveraging GenAI, you know, for really complicated shot...”
“We looked at Warner Brothers as an asset, kind of a once in a generation asset. Uh, basu company that does te television production. We're one of their biggest buyers in that space. um and a a wealth of IP that we could develop into. You know, we're I'm very proud of the team and I'm very proud of what Netflix does, bu...”
“I think it's overestimated. I think um like every other techn technology advance in entertainment and storytelling, it's made the business better and bigger um by presenting more opportunity. And I think creators today are going to use it. I've seen this evolution from the beginning of friends who are writers who said...”
“Well, look, I I one of the things I figure out as we go is people are re have completely different opinions of what's what they want and how they want it and what's premium to them and how they define it. And the one part of the audience that we were not addressing was the one who wanted a lower price point and didn't...”
“California has not been competitive for production, not competitive with other states, not competitive with other countries. Um, Los Angeles is a very difficult, very expensive place to work if you're making a movie or making a TV show. And I'm telling you that firsthand because we've have 30 productions in Cal in LA i...”
“Our production is going to increase. Domestic production to increase. To drive most of our production is domestic and it will continue to increase. We've recently forecast our content spend independent of this deal to grow to 20 billion dollars.”
“You have my commitment. Will you commit to a 45-day or longer theatrical release window for major Warner Brothers films? Senator Hi, I just said that I would do that under oath. So, yes.”
“Netflix has no political agenda of any kind. I would tell you that. It's because it's inaccurate. We have millions of hours of children's programming. We feature a wide variety of stories and programs to meet a wide variety of people's tastes.”
“We are parents at Netflix as well. We share all your concerns about raising kids and also the ability to raise them as you see fit in your household and anyone else's household as well.”
“We have a live event strategy, that started with comedy, SkyScraper Live, live is part of that where can we add to that, in case of NFL where can we add value to NFL, our audience much younger we are to expand audience for the NFL bring those games to the public, in an unbelievable way 8.9 to the join Netflix includes...”
“In leading into live events, includes live sports, if we just did in Japan we had the World Baseball Classic broke all records for us in Japan, so again leading into event we're not bidding on whole seasons including NFL but found NFL would be a great partner, and looking to innovate constantly I feel a great American...”
“Inexcessive very, very affordable way to watch sports television and movies, and kids' programming podcasts play games all things for 8.99 amazing for consumers great for leagues competitive base bidding for games that is valuable, so I think an important part to another to the American success story of the economy is...”
07/16/2026 Q&A: Netflix, Inc. provides entertainment services worldwide. The company offers television (TV) series, documentaries, feature films, games, and live programming across various genres and languages. It also provides members the ability to receive streaming content through a host of internet-connected devices, including TVs, digital video players, TV set-top boxes, and mobile devices. Netflix, Inc. was incorporated in 1997 and is headquartered in Los Gatos, California. #netflix #earningscall #fundamentalanalysis #nflx #investing
Live from Los Angeles, Scott Galloway and Ed Elson sit down with Netflix’s co-CEO Ted Sarandos to discuss what the future of the entertainment industry looks like. Later, they discuss the impact of inflation on consumers and whether or not they are reaching a breaking point. Timestamps 00:00 - Intro 00:07 - Today's Number 04:37 - Ted Sarandos 38:33 - Ad Break 39:51 - Economy 57:56 - Ad Break 59:11 - Q&A 1:13:07 - Special Mentions 1:17:56 - Credits -- Subscribe to the Prof G Markets newsletter: https://links.profgmedia.com/markets-... Order "The Algebra of Wealth" out now: https://links.p…
A fiery Senate Judiciary Committee hearing erupted as Josh Hawley confronted Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos over the proposed Netflix–Warner Bros. merger, labor practices, and controversial children’s programming. Hawley pressed Sarandos on union jobs, residual payments, and accusations that Netflix promotes “transgender ideology” in children’s content. The hearing featured tense back-and-forth moments, with Hawley accusing Netflix of pursuing an ideological agenda and warning against the rise of a “streaming monopolist.” Sarandos defended Netflix’s approach, saying the platform offers diverse s…
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos discusses live sports expansion, legal challenges and the company’s global growth strategy on ‘Mornings with Maria.’ #foxbusiness #morningswithmaria 0:08 – Netflix enters live sports as NFL streaming battle heats up 1:04 – Sarandos: Why Netflix is betting on live sports now 3:03 – Netflix vs. TikTok? The push into mobile and vertical video 5:31 – Sarandos responds to streaming criticism and regulator concerns 9:11 – Netflix growth, AI impact, and future after major deal fallout Subscribe to Fox Business: https://bit.ly/2D9Cdse Watch more Fox Business Video: https…
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos explains the significance of Netflix's new $1.3 billion studio in Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, ...
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From a video rental store to a corner office at Netflix. Emma sits down with Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos as he reveals how he built one of the most influential companies in the world — and the leadership lessons he’s learned along the way. You’ll hear Ted’s insights on: • Taking bold risks and trusting your gut • Making the toughest decisions as a leader • Why values and vision matter more than algorithms •…
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