Ted Sarandos Says James Cameron Is Part of ‘Paramount Disinformation Campaign’ After Fiery Anti-Netflix Letter

Ted Sarandos isn’t happy about James Cameron’s letter warning against a potential Netflix-Warner Bros. merger.

“I’m particularly surprised and disappointed that James chose to be part of the Paramount disinformation campaign that’s been going on for months about this deal,” the Netflix CEO said on Fox Business.

The comment comes one day after the “Avatar” and “Titanic” filmmaker penned a fiery letter to Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, who chairs the Senate subcommittee on antitrust, competitive policy and consumer rights. In the letter, Cameron said that a Netflix-WBD merger would make the theatrical industry into a “sinking ship.”

“I believe strongly that the proposed sale of Warner Brothers Discovery to Netflix will be disastrous for the theatrical motion picture business that I have dedicated my life’s work to,” Cameron wrote. “Of course, my films all play in the downstream video markets as well, but my first love is the cinema.”

It’s a big move, accusing one of the world’s biggest and most lucrative filmmakers of being part of a “disinformation campaign.” In his Fox Business appearance, Sarandos went on to say that he was “surprised by the letter,” stating that he had previously met with Cameron and spoken about Netflix’s commitment to giving Warner Bros. titles exclusive theatrical windows.

“I have talked about that commitment in the press, countless times,” Sarandos said. “I swore under oath in front of the Senate subcommittee on antitrust that that’s what we were doing.”

In the letter, Cameron accused Sarandos of pledging to only a 17-day theatrical window, rather than the 45 days he’s promised.

“I have never even uttered the words ’17-day window,’ so I don’t know where it came from, or why he would be part of that machine,” Sarandos responded. “I responded to Senator Lee’s letter this morning, so we’ll see where he goes.”

The Netflix CEO went on to say that the company recently moved seven projects that were initially set to film overseas to New Jersey, where the streamer is creating a production facility. He also noted they currently have a slate of 11 films in production in the state.

“People forget, this is a gigantic business. Isn’t just the production, but it’s also the hospitality industry, the transportation industry, the catering, all the different things, dry cleaners, all those American businesses that support production all around the country,” Sarandos said. “We’re going to film a lot in New Jersey.”

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