Creators are turning into entrepreneurs and disrupting the traditional Hollywood model. At CES 2026, executives from Lionsgate, Hello Sunshine, Amazon, Microsoft and T-Mobile made it clear that the creator economy is reshaping the way entertainment is made, distributed and monetized. For studios, that change forces you to rethink where content lives and how success is measured. In technology companies, creators have become important partners.
At Lionsgate, executives increasingly weigh whether a project is for theaters or platforms like YouTube. “At the end of the day, people always want to see their stuff on the big screen, or on Amazon Prime or Netflix, or wherever it makes the most sense to them—their pride,” said Brad Haugen, EVP of digital strategy and growth at Lionsgate and 3Arts, during a panel Monday (Jan. 5) on how creators are redefining the Hollywood talent pipeline. “But it’s not always the best home for content.”
Hello Sunshine has taken a slightly different approach by building its business on audience ownership and community. The women’s media company co-founded by Reese Witherspoon relies heavily on digital firsts like Reese’s Book Club, which has become a powerful engine for turning novels into cultural hits and screen adaptations.
One of its most notable achievements was Daisy Jones & the Sixadapted from Taylor Jenkins Reid’s novel into a Prime Video miniseries starring Riley Keough. When it premiered in 2023, it became the most watched series on Amazon.
Recently, Hello Sunshine launched a program aimed at growing female-led creators across social media. The initiative currently includes about 40 creators, among them writers Laura Dave and Danielle Robey.
“Your net-net is to change the narrative of women,” said Jennifer Wiener, EVP of brand partnerships and testing for Hello Sunshine, on the same panel. “You have to do it on every platform. We’re storytellers, and we want to tell those stories everywhere.”
That multi-platform mindset plays directly into Amazon’s success as a technology and media company. Instead of forcing creators into a single format, Amazon has built an ecosystem that allows them access to audio, video, social and commerce.
In the same panel, Matt Sandler, general manager of creator services at Amazon, pointed to brands like Wondery, Studio126 and Prime Video as engines for growing creators, citing relationships with LeBron James, Keke Palmer and MrBeast.
“Amazon can serve those customers in a tangible way,” Sandler said. “What we’ve done is create this new creator services business to better serve the content of the agency—which is a big part of digital or social.”
While media companies are adapting to creator-led models, tech giants are increasingly baking creators directly into their core business strategies. In the past year, Microsoft has hired many producers, editors and writers with backgrounds in the creative economy, according to Marcus Frieske, the tech giant’s general manager of social marketing and creativity.
“They’re from YouTube and Snapchat,” Frieske said during a separate panel Monday about why creators are the most important media channel for brands. “They usually say, ‘Hey, we have to make a video, and it should be live in the next few days.’ Having fast people who understand that rhythm was very important to our success.”
Mobile, on the other hand, relies on creators as collaborators rather than spokespeople. Kimberley Hand, senior creative manager at the communications company, said T-Mobile is building an advisory board made up of creatives to shape campaigns and ensure authenticity.
He also highlighted Club Magenta, a brand awareness initiative that has appeared at music festivals and events such as Lollapalooza. The pop-up includes charging stations, lounges, and public spaces—designed not only for fans, but also for creators to write and share their experiences in real time.
Creator Jazmyn Smith, for example, helped bring the performance to life for her audience. “[Smith] it’s able to bring it to life in the way that we can tell our stories,” said Hand.