Netflix's head of global film, Scott Stuber, has expressed his hope that the streaming service could secure its first best picture Oscar this Sunday. Speaking in his first UK broadcast interview, Stuber described winning the top prize as 'the dream' and said he felt nervous ahead of the ceremony.
Netflix leads all studios with 27 nominations at this year's Academy Awards, including a best picture nod for The Power of the Dog, a western drama directed by Jane Campion. The film also earned nominations for Campion and its cast, including Benedict Cumberbatch and Kirsten Dunst.
Stuber acknowledged the competition, noting that Apple's CODA is also a strong contender. Despite previous nominations for Roma, Mank, and The Irishman, Netflix has never won the best picture Oscar. Stuber said it would be 'thrilling' to win, but added that the company would be 'OK' if it does not.
Reflecting on Netflix's journey, Stuber recalled initial scepticism from filmmakers when he joined from Universal in 2017. Many directors, including Jane Campion and Steven Spielberg, have since partnered with the streamer. Spielberg, who once questioned whether streaming films should qualify for Oscars, now has a multi-year deal with Netflix.
Stuber defended Netflix's approach to theatrical releases, pointing out that The Power of the Dog was shown in over 2,000 cinemas. He said Netflix aims to balance big-screen exposure with reaching a global home audience of over 200 million subscribers, and dismissed the idea that streaming is killing cinema.
