Netflix content chief says Obama projects won’t necessarily be political

By Sandra Gonzalez | CNN Newsource

Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos didn’t have a lot of details to offer on the projects being prepped by Barack and Michelle Obama for his streaming service but indicated that the content won’t necessarily be “political.“

“They want to do storytelling that is fitting with the things [they] have done with the presidency, obviously, but [also] the experiences they’ve had throughout their entire lives,” Sarandos told the crowd at Vanity Fair’s New Establishment Summit on Tuesday.

Sarandos said the content will hit on subjects like sports, lifestyle and nutrition. Echoing the information shared in the deal’s original announcement, Sarandos said the former president and first lady have “got their eyes on film and television, fiction and nonfiction.”

The Obamas deal with the streaming giant was formally announced back in May.

At the time of the announcement, the Obamas said in a statement that they were looking forward to harnessing “the power of storytelling” to promote common values.

Sources told CNN back in May that the Obamas would possibly be appearing on camera as moderators or hosts.

Sarandos said he hoped on-camera appearances were in the cards, but said current projects have them serving as executive producers and doing some voice-over work.

He added that the streaming network would have “a lot to talk about later this year” regarding its slate of Obama projects.