Edward Berger Credits Netflix With Shaking Up the Film Industry

October 19, 2026 - 18:55

Director Edward Berger, whose adaptation of All Quiet on the Western Front earned widespread acclaim and multiple Academy Awards, has shared his perspective on how streaming has reshaped the traditional movie business. In his view, the established Hollywood system had grown complacent, and Netflix played a necessary role in pushing the industry to reconsider its long standing habits.

Berger suggested that the arrival of the streaming giant served as a wake up call for studios that had become set in their ways. He pointed out that Netflix demonstrated a different model for producing and distributing films, one that challenged the conventional theatrical release strategy and forced traditional players to adapt. According to the filmmaker, this disruption was not merely inevitable but healthy for an industry that risked stagnation.

He also reflected on his own experience working with the platform, noting that it offered creative freedom and support for projects that might have struggled to find backing elsewhere. For Berger, the competition between streaming services and legacy studios has created more opportunities for filmmakers to tell ambitious stories. While he acknowledged that the debate over theatrical versus streaming releases remains unresolved, he argued that the tension between the two models ultimately benefits audiences and artists alike. His comments add to the ongoing conversation about the future of cinema and the balance between tradition and innovation.