Spielberg concedes to Netflix in new deal for the small screen

Once Spielberg saw Netflix as a kind of gremlin. Now the little beast has grown so large, he has partnered up. In a dignified kind of way.

Steven Spielberg has been a symbol of changing times for most of his working life, but now he has to add another iconic role to his collection. He is the gracious old man conceding to the upstart thugs who appeared at the edge of the forest and let their pigs loose in the village. 

Let’s explain. Spielberg is the absolute master of mass emotions. He taught generations of surburbanites how to feel and what to feel about. He shaped the sentimentality of a nation. From Jaws to Schindler’s List, Poltergeist to E.T., he burrowed so deep into American feels it was never the same again. 

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David Tiley was the Editor of Screenhub from 2005 until he became Content Lead for Film in 2021 with a special interest in policy. He is a writer in screen media with a long career in educational programs, documentary, and government funding, with a side order in script editing. He values curiosity, humour and objectivity in support of Australian visions and the art of storytelling.