Netflix’s Ted Sarandos Says Disney CEO Job Is ‘Not Even on My Mind’

Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos doesn’t have any interest in becoming the next chief exec of Disney.

“Not even on my mind,” Sarandos said, speaking Tuesday at the WSJ Tech Live conference in Laguna Beach, Calif. He was responding to a question by interviewer Emma Tucker, editor in chief of the Wall Street Journal, about whether he was interested in taking on the Disney CEO job.

On Monday, Disney announced that its board now expects to announce a new CEO in early 2026 to replace Bob Iger, whose contract expires at the end of that year. The succession process is being led by James Gorman, who is assuming the role of Disney chairman in January 2025.

Sarandos also disavowed any plans to go into politics at some point, saying he is “never going to run for office.”

Asked what TV shows or movies he wished Netflix had produced or acquired, Sarandos said “there’s a bunch of them” and specifically cited FX/Hulu’s “The Bear” and Apple TV+’s “Ted Lasso,” which have both garnered major awards wins. “I watch a lot of content,” he said.

On the other hand, according to Sarandos, Netflix picked up hit series “Nobody Wants This” from Erin Foster after other studios and networks passed on it.

Asked about Netflix’s advertising-supported tier, Sarandos noted the company has 40 million users on the ad plan and that base is “growing pretty quickly.” The ad tier, he said, is a way to “open up the larger addressable market” for consumers who want to buy a Netflix subscription at a lower monthly price.

Last week, Netflix reported third-quarter 2024 earnings that topped Wall Street expectations, gaining 5.1 million subscribers globally to hit 282.72 million as of the end of the quarter. The streamer provided guidance for 2025 revenue of $43 billion-$44 billion, which would represent growth of 11%-13% compared with its 2024 revenue guidance of $38.9 billion.

In comments on the Q3 earnings interview, Sarandos said the company was not shifting from its cost-plus model of paying TV and film talent upfront, citing remarks by Netflix chief content officer Bela Bajaria at a recent meeting with top talent agents and lawyers. “Bela said this very clearly a couple of weeks ago to all the talent agencies: We’re not changing our compensation structure,” Sarandos said. “Paying upfront, something that Netflix actually pioneered, benefits creators and it benefits Netflix.”