Netflix Lands Top Disney Production Exec Tendo Nagenda

EXCLUSIVE: Sources tell Deadline that Netflix is about to score a coup by hiring well-regarded Disney production exec Tendo Nagenda to become head of production for Scott Stuber and his big-budget film division.

From what I understand, Stuber and his team are doing some serious celebrating, having Nagenda join Netflix and its burgeoning film production slate. Nagenda spent the past 8 1/2 years at Disney, where he has had a strong hand in the resurgence of its live-action brand under Alan Horn and Sean Bailey. While there, Nagenda shepherded such films as Saving Mr. Banks, Beauty and the Beast, Queen of Katwe, A Wrinkle in Time, Cinderella, Dumbo and the upcoming Mulan.

Now he will come to Netflix and work under Stuber to build the slate. Over the next 12 months, the streaming service has Alfonso Cuaron’s ROMA, Paul Greengrass’s 22 July, Susanne Bier’s Bird Box, JC Chandor’s Triple Frontier, Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman, Amy Poehler’s Wine Country and Michael Bay’s 6 Underground and the Taika Waititi-directed stop motion-animated Bubbles, about Michael Jackson’s pet chimp, among numerous high-profile pictures. There also have been numerous overall deals made with substantial filmmaking talent.

Ian Bricke and Matt Brodlie will continue to oversee their respective film divisions under Stuber, sources said.

Nagenda started at HBO and then did stints at Warner Independent, Plan B and Good Universe before landing at Disney in 2010. I’d heard he was expected to be prominent in the exec structure as Disney melds the pieces of Fox’s film division into the Magic Kingdom.