David Fincher and Netflix have certainly kept audiences busy over the years, building a partnership that delivered some of the streamer’s most memorable originals. It began with House of Cards, where Fincher directed the pilot and helped establish Netflix as a serious home for scripted television. Mindhunter followed, alongside Love, Death & Robots and several other projects.
After 13 years of creative collaboration, the Fincher-Netflix partnership is now coming to an end, with Fincher choosing not to renew his deal.
David Fincher is ready to part ways with Netflix
David Fincher is officially closing the Netflix chapter, with Bloomberg initially reporting that the acclaimed director has chosen not to renew his overall deal. The agreement is scheduled to expire in early 2027, bringing an end to a long-running arrangement that has increasingly faced changes behind the scenes and follows other exits such as the Duffer Brothers and Shawn Levy.
One major sticking point has been the theatrical experience. Since signing his exclusive deal in 2020, Fincher has not had a film receive a traditional wide theatrical release, with Mank arriving during the pandemic and The Killer receiving only a brief cinema run. For a filmmaker known for meticulous visual and audio work, that limited big-screen presence has remained significant.
48eme ceremonie des CESAR a l Olympia salle. 2023 Cesar Film Awards at Olympia
Ceremony on stage. Paris, FRANCE-24/02/2023. 288987 2023-02-25 PARIS France
Fincher, David PUBLICATIONxINxGERxAUTxONLY Copyright:
xRomualdxMeigneuxx/xStarfacex STAR_288987_241
48eme ceremonie des CESAR a l Olympia salle. 2023 Cesar Film Awards at Olympia
Ceremony on stage. Paris, FRANCE-24/02/2023. 288987 2023-02-25 PARIS France
Fincher, David PUBLICATIONxINxGERxAUTxONLY Copyright:
xRomualdxMeigneuxx/xStarfacex STAR_288987_241
Bloomberg’s revelation comes at a time of a changing project slate surrounding Fincher, including Netflix scrapping the American Squid Game spin-off he was developing. Meanwhile, the long-discussed Chinatown prequel series has remained stuck in development, while Mindhunter faced its own budget problems. With those projects stalled or altered, Fincher’s decision to move on marks another significant change in his Netflix relationship.
However, David Fincher still has one last Netflix project to finish, and Cliff Booth is making sure of it.
David Fincher’s last project with Netflix
David Fincher still has one more job to finish before his Netflix chapter truly closes, and Cliff Booth is the man waiting for him. The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth brings Brad Pitt back as the stuntman-turned-fixer, with Quentin Tarantino writing the script and Fincher directing. Set in 1977, the story sends Booth into another messy Hollywood adventure.
RELEASE DATE: August 9, 2019 TITLE: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood STUDIO:
DIRECTOR: Quentin Tarantino PLOT: A TV actor and his stunt double embark on an
odyssey to make a name for themselves in the film industry during the Charles
Manson murders in 1969 Los Angeles. STARRING: BRAD PITT as Cliff Booth. Los
Angeles U.S. – ZUMAl90_ 20190621_sha_l90_675
RELEASE DATE: August 9, 2019 TITLE: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood STUDIO:
DIRECTOR: Quentin Tarantino PLOT: A TV actor and his stunt double embark on an
odyssey to make a name for themselves in the film industry during the Charles
Manson murders in 1969 Los Angeles. STARRING: BRAD PITT as Cliff Booth. Los
Angeles U.S. – ZUMAl90_ 20190621_sha_l90_675
The film will get a two-week global IMAX run beginning November 25 before arriving on Netflix December 23, giving Fincher one particularly cinematic final outing with the streamer. With Pitt, Tarantino, and Fincher reunited, The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth is quite the way to close the book on their partnership.
What do you think of Netflix and David Fincher’s separation? Let us know in the comments!
