30 million dollars, 40 million… more? We know how much Netflix paid to bring Cameron Diaz out of retirement

We heard good news in 2022! Cameron Diaz, who hasn’t been on set since 2014, has decided to come out of retirement to star in a Netflix movie with the rather prescient title: Back in Action.

Expected to hit our screens in early 2025 and directed by Seth Gordon (How to Kill Your Boss), this action comedy will also be directed by Jamie Foxx. These two Hollywood greats play two ex-CIA officers who retired long ago to start a family and are caught in spite of themselves by espionage when their cover is blown…

If we imagine that the negotiations must have been long between Netflix and Diaz, who wanted to distance himself from the profession, now we know how much money the platform spent to bring him out of retirement. according to BloombergThe SVOD giant signed him to a $45 million deal to star in two films.

A tidy sum that then-head of feature films Scott Stuber didn’t want to pay, if the American site is to be believed. But for the former funny lady, this offer of exclusivity was a necessary condition for them…

A new strategy

After the deal was announced, Netflix made internal adjustments. Get out of Scott Stuber’s overspending and say hello to a new strategy. idea? Change the perception of the public and industry professionals by making fewer and better quality films. And that means not spending too much on one project or one person, like Cameron Diaz. And above all, pay attention to their restored rights.

However, according to Bloomberg, the platform recently declined to acquire the broadcast rights to Harold and the Magic Pencil, a family comedy that debuted in theaters.

Netflix told Sony it feared the film would not appeal to its subscribers amid competition from Vice Versa 2 (Disney+) and Despicable Me 4 . But unofficially, it’s probably the recent stance of its star, Zachary Levy. In favor of presidential candidate Donald Trump, which cooled them down…

But it remains part of their strategy to spend less and put their money in the right place. While this is entirely commendable, there are still holes in the racket. A recent example is the new adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia, which will cost them $200 million.

And for a movie that isn’t out in theaters, that hurts. To the point where its director recently revealed this inconsistency and asked them to review their economic model. By showing it in several cinemas around the world.

“It’s very difficult to make a cultural impact without having experience in cinema. It’s just not possible with streaming.” Producer Jason Blum, who is one of the voices against platforms, said recently.

But on that note, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos has consistently argued that more people see his movies at home than in theaters… an unstoppable argument.