Entertainment
Former Sony Executive, 2.0 Entertainment Founder Doug Belgrad Joins Netflix as Vice President of Film
Doug Belgrad, a former Sony Pictures executive and the founder of 2.0 Entertainment, is joining Netflix as vice president of film. The hire comes as Dan Lin, the streaming service’s newly mint film chief, is shaking up the division, which has been seen as producing too few buzzy films despite spending vast sums of money. Lin, the producer of hits like “The Lego Movie” and “It,” was hired by Netflix in the spring to replace former film chief Scott Stuber, who stepped down in January, and he’s been putting his imprint on the business.
As Belgrad joins Netflix, 2.0 Entertainment will be overseen by Sophie Cassidy and Zack Conroy, two top executives at the company. Belgrad founded 2.0 Entertainment, a film and television production and financing company that is based at Sony Pictures, in 2016. Their films include “Gran Turismo,” “The Pope’s Exorcist” and “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” which is set for release this summer. Belgrad was an executive at Sony for over 25 years, rising up the ranks to become president of the Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group, where he managed creative and business decision-making and financial planning.
Conroy joined 2.0 Entertainment in 2020 to oversee all financial affairs of the company. He was previously vice president in SunTrust Robinson Humphrey’s Entertainment Industries Group. Cassidy has been with 2.0 Entertainment from its inception, overseeing development and production in film and television for the company. She previously served as SVP of production and acquisitions at Open Road Films.
“It will be a privilege to work with the incredible team at Netflix and take on the responsibility of supervising film production for the biggest provider of filmed entertainment in the world,” Belgrad said. “I’m inspired by the chance to work alongside Dan, whose taste as a filmmaker and hitmaker is well proven. From the first time we met about this role, I felt we shared a vision about the future of film at Netflix.”
In a separate statement, Lin stressed Belgrad’s “wealth of experience.” “We will be leaning on Doug’s great creative instincts, his eye for talent and his deep relationships across the filmmaking and talent community,” he said. “We can’t wait for him to get started and look forward to his many contributions as we pursue our mission to make best-in-class films across every genre.”