There’s a big rumble in the film comms sphere and that’s Warner Bros EVP of Communications Katie Martin Kelley, who was Motion Picture Chairs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy’s right hand, is heading to Netflix as VP Communications where she’ll oversee Dan Lin’s feature film portfolio.

Martin Kelley starts on Sept. 8 and will report to Dani Dudeck, Netflix Chief Communications Officer.

This is the second known high-level WBD executive to leave recently amid the uncertainty surrounding the company’s pending acquisition by Paramount. Last month, Pia Barlow, EVP Originals Marketing for HBO Max, joined Amazon MGM Studios as VP of Series Marketing. The appointment triggered a poaching lawsuit by WBD.

We understand from sources that Martin Kelley’s contract is up at WBD. This is a shocking, sudden departure at the Burbank lot, and it’s not clear yet whether or not Martin Kelley’s role will be back-filled as the Paramount-WBD merger continues to be held up by an antitrust suit with state AGs, which is scheduled for March.

“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,” said Dudeck in statement.  

Martin Kelley will be a part of Dudeck’s global comms leadership team which includes Kelly Pakula (VP Global Corp Comms), Oliver Rawlins (VP Comms, EMEA), Flávia Vigio (VP Comms, LATAM) and Joy Albert (VP Comms, APAC).

We are told that Martin Kelley’s role will is not backfilling the position previously held by Netflix’s long-term VP of Communications, Emily Feingold. Feingold’s oversee previously included corp comms in addition film, games and series. In Martin Kelley’s new role, she’ll take charge of Netflix comms across Lin’s live-action and documentaries slate, as well as kids & family animation, including Netflix Animation Studios. Martin Kelley will also oversee comms for kids & family animated series, film & TV licensing and Netflix’s international films and series portfolio.

We are told that Dudeck is also recruiting a VP of Communications, Series, who’ll lead efforts across series, podcast, games and live event and sports content.

Ahead for Martin Kelley at Netflix are such titles as Cannes sensation La Bola Negra, David Fincher’s follow-up to Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, thriller Animals, animated features Steps, Ray Gunn and In Waves, documentaries 14th, Avedon and Basquiat, dramas Gentle Monster and INK, action feature The Mosquito Bowl and more. The comms vet will be at the streamer during a time when they’re wading into long-theatrical window releases more in 2027, i.e. Greta Gerwig’s Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew on Feb. 12 (Netflix date is April 2) and Charlie vs the Chocolate Factory, which will debut in theaters Nov. 5 and on Netflix Dec. 22. 

During her time at Warner Bros Motion Picture Group, Martin Kelley led media relations and corporate comms for Warner Bros. Pictures, New Line Cinema, Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, and the studio’s new genre label, Warner Bros. Clockwork. Warner Bros. saw one of their highest years at the box office in 2025, grossing north of $4B worldwide, with a rich line-up that included both Oscar winners in One Battle After Another and Sinners, and blockbusters in Weapons and A Minecraft Movie.

Martin Kelley, is a longtime comms vet having worked for 12 years handling domestic and corp comms under the Rob Moore regime at Paramount. Prior to her recent three-year run at Warner Bros, she worked with De Luca and Abdy at MGM Studios as Chief Communications Officer before the Amazon acquisition.

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