Maha Dakhil, co-head of motion pictures at Creative Artists Agency, says Hollywood is in the middle of a fundamental reset. She argues that traditional studio control is steadily weakening as talent-led deals, innovative financing structures, and streaming platforms increasingly determine which films get made and how they’re approved.
Explore Maha Dakhil's insights on the shifting dynamics of the film industry and the rise of new models in filmmaking.
According to Dakhil, the old gatekeeper model is being replaced by a more fluid system where projects are packaged earlier, faster, and often outside the traditional studio pipeline. Agencies, financiers, and streaming players are now taking a more active role in shaping what reaches production.
This shift reflects a broader transformation across the film business, where established power structures are being challenged and redistributed. As streaming expands globally and new funding models emerge, filmmakers are finding more routes to get projects off the ground—often without waiting for a studio greenlight.
Dakhil’s perspective highlights a Hollywood that is no longer defined by a single center of power, but by a network of competing and collaborating players reshaping the industry in real time.
