Caustic Comedy
The new space in Hollywood expands Netflix’s ability to produce shows soup-to-nuts. It has leased 200,000 square feet of office and pre-production space in a tower at Sunset Bronson Studios, with the possibility of adding another 120,000 square feet for sound stages, according to Victor Coleman, chairman and chief executive officer of Hudson Pacific Properties Inc., which owns the property. Netflix will start designing the space next year and move in early in 2017.
Even if that location isn’t used, the company will be the studio for Handler’s talk show, according to the person with knowledge of the plans. Netflix poached the caustic comedian from E!, and has released one of her comedy specials.
Netflix still plans to keep working with studios for its larger series, like “Daredevil,” “Orange Is the New Black” and “Bloodline,” a partnership with Sony Pictures Television. Netflix helps to develop and produce those programs, while the studios oversee physical production.
While it’s too soon to say how far studios will pull back — they have committed to providing Netflix with billions of dollars worth of programming already — the shift could have an impact on what’s available.
Fox has already made deals that strengthened Hulu andAmazon.com Inc., a newer rival for Netflix in the streaming business. Fox licensed its biggest new hit, “Empire,” to Hulu, while its cable channel FX made a deal with Amazon for “The Americans.”