Warner Bros Communications Executive Joins Netflix as VP of Film Communications

Warner Bros. executive vice president of communications Katie Martin Kelley will begin her new role as Netflix’s vice-president of communications for film on Sept. 8. In her position, she will oversee communications for Dan Lin’s feature-film portfolio, including live-action, documentary, kids & family animation, and international titles. She will report to Dani Dudeck, Netflix’s chief communications officer, and join a global comms leadership team that spans North America, EMEA, LATAM, and APAC.

Deadline Hollywood

Kelley’s departure follows a wave of senior talent exits from Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) amid uncertainty surrounding the company’s pending acquisition by Paramount. The merger remains delayed by an antitrust lawsuit filed by state attorneys general, with a hearing scheduled for March. Last month, WBD’s EVP of Originals Marketing for HBO Max, Pia Barlow, left for Amazon MGM Studios, prompting a poaching lawsuit from WBD. Sources indicate Kelley’s contract with WBD had expired, and it is unclear whether her former role will be refilled while the merger proceeds.

Deadline Hollywood

Netflix’s chief communications officer Dani Dudeck issued a statement welcoming Kelley, emphasizing her two-decades of experience at leading studios and her fit with Netflix’s “ambitious global film slate.” The company also announced plans to recruit a separate VP of communications for series, podcasts, games, and live-event content.

Deadline Hollywood

• “I’m excited to welcome Katie to Netflix as our VP of Communications, Film. She brings more than 20 years of experience from some of the world’s most renowned studios, where she’s worked with some of the industry’s most celebrated storytellers. I look forward to partnering with her as we support Netflix’s ambitious global film slate,” — Dani Dudeck, Netflix Chief Communications Officer

Deadline Hollywood

Kelley arrives as Netflix prepares a series of high-profile releases, including the Cannes-acclaimed *La Bola Negra*, a David Fincher follow-up to *Once Upon a Time in Hollywood*, the thriller *Animals*, and animated features such as *Steps* and *Ray Gunn*. The streamer also plans theatrical windows for Greta Gerwig’s *Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew*—set to debut on Netflix on April 2—and *Charlie vs the Chocolate Factory*, slated for a November theatrical run before a December streaming release. Warner Bros. reported a box-office total of north of $4 billion worldwide in 2025, underscoring the scale of the film landscape Kelley will now help shape at Netflix.

Deadline Hollywood