Netflix is reportedly undergoing a significant restructuring of its film division, which will result in the departure of 15 employees. According to Deadline (via Game Spot), the new structure aims to better focus the company"s movie efforts by genre.
Under the leadership of the new head of movies, Dan Lin, Netflix movies will now be divided into four categories - each with its own dedicated executive. Ori Marmur will oversee action, fantasy, horror, and sci-fi titles. Kira Goldberg takes the reins of thrillers, dramas, and family films. Niija Kuykendall will oversee young adult, faith-based, and holiday films. Meanwhile, Jason Young is put in charge of comedies and romantic comedies.
The reorganization comes with some personnel changes, as about 15 people in the film division will be laid off. This is part of what Netflix is calling a "major restructuring" of the division. This will allow each genre section to have dedicated development, production, and marketing teams that will report to the new heads.
The move is intended to provide clearer focus and accountability for each type of film. By separating the genres, Netflix hopes executives will be able to better target specific audiences and find synergies between projects.
This is just the latest belt-tightening move by Netflix, as the economic outlook remains uncertain. Like others in the technology and entertainment sectors, Netflix is looking to streamline costs wherever possible in the face of slowing subscriber growth. The company employs more than 10,000 people worldwide across its film, television, gaming, and engineering divisions.
Last week, Apple laid off 614 employees based in California. One of the reasons it"s believed that the layoffs affect those working on the car project is because the notice didn"t mention Apple"s Cupertino headquarters.
The gaming industry has also seen more than 8,000 layoffs so far in 2024. Publishers such as Ubisoft, Riot Games, and Gearbox have all recently cut jobs. Microsoft has also initiated layoffs for Xbox and cutting support positions at Activision Blizzard.