Ahead of “Mank,” his first film in years arriving next month, filmmaker David Fincher sat down with Premiere France to discuss his career and future.
As part of this, the magazine touched upon his relationship with Netflix in recent years. Following his remake of “House of Cards” helping Netflix launch into original programming in 2013, Fincher has worked heavily with the streamer from filming his serial killer drama “Mindhunter” to producing the animated “Love, Death, and Robots”.
Now the duo have “Mank” together, the film about the screenwriter behind “Citizen Kane,” with the new film being lined up as this year’s biggest potential Oscar contender. Following that film’s release, Fincher indicates whatever he does next it’ll almost certainly be with Netflix as he confirmed he has signed an exclusive deal with them:
“Yes, I have an exclusivity deal with [Netflix] for another four years, and depending on ‘Mank’s’ reception, I’ll either go see them sheepishly asking them what I can do to redeem myself or take the attitude of the arrogant a–hole who’ll require making other films in black and white. [Laughs] No, I’m here to deliver them’content’ = whatever it means – likely to bring them spectators, in my small sphere of influence.
Now [because] I signed this Netflix deal it’s also because I’d like to work like Picasso painted, to try very different things, to try to break the shape or change the operating mode. I like the idea of ​​having a body of work. And yes, I admit that it feels strange, after forty years in this profession, to only have ten films under my belt. Well, eleven, but ten that I can say are mine. Yes, objectively, it is a pretty terrifying observation.”
In a separate interview for Total Film, Fincher spoke about the future of the film industry in the current and eventual post-COVID times. He says even before the pandemic, getting a non-superhero film made was near impossibe:
Unless you’re making a tentpole movie that has a Happy Meal component to it, no one’s interested… it’s not particularly a smart business plan to make a love letter to another movie that’s on [rival streaming service] HBO Max… But, listen, if we only did the stuff that was smart, there’d probably only be Marvel and ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Jurassic Park’ movies.
There’s really only two seasons for movies. There’s ‘spandex summer’ and there’s affliction winter.’ You’re making your movie for one of two seasons. And if you miss, you’ll fall into one of those other two seasons, which are nominally dumping grounds. Does that make sense? I’m not really just a jaded f–k. I’m an informed, jaded f–k.”
“Mank” decidedly falls into the ‘affliction winter’ category. It opens in cinemas on Friday ahead of arriving on Netflix in early December.
