Noah Baumbach leaves Netflix, signs three-year deal with Warner Bros.: new film under Clockwork follows two college students in New York

Noah Baumbach has signed a three-year “first-look” deal with Warner Bros., ending his run at Netflix. The deal, which takes effect in 2027, marks a significant turn in the career of the director known for “Marriage Story”.

Baumbach spent the last five to six years at Netflix, where he made four films: “The Meyerowitz Stories”, “Marriage Story” — which earned Laura Dern her first Oscar — “White Noise” and “Jay Kelly” (2025). He is now returning to theatrical cinema with a major studio.

His new project for Warner Bros. centers on two college students in New York, while other plot details remain under wraps. Baumbach will write, direct and produce the film; producers will be David Heyman and LuckyChap, Margot Robbie’s banner, which itself has a multi-year first-look deal with Warner Bros. Production is expected to begin in early 2027, and it will be Baumbach’s first theatrical film since 2015.

Baumbach’s first film for the studio will be released by Clockwork, Warner Bros.’ new indie label, led by Christian Parkes, the former NEON executive. Clockwork has already announced a slate of titles: Sean Baker’s “Ti Amo!”, the follow-up to Oscar winner “Anora”, Park Chan-wook’s “The Brigands Of Rattlecreek”, the gymnastics drama “Nasty” starring Jenna Ortega and Rose Byrne, as well as the 4K re-release of Ken Russell’s “The Devils”, on October 16.

Baumbach’s move to Warner Bros. follows the extraordinary success of “Barbie” (2023), which he co-wrote with his partner, Greta Gerwig. The film became the biggest commercial release in the studio’s history and was nominated for Oscars, including for best adapted screenplay. It is precisely this success that has paved the way for the director’s return to theatrical cinema.

New details, including the cast of Baumbach’s new film, are expected to be revealed in the coming weeks and months.

Source: The Playlist (via Variety)