Will Warner movies still hit cinemas after Netflix sale?Yes, but maybe not for as long
Netflix is buying Warner Bros. for $82.7 billion and cinema advocates are worried the streaming giant will remove the biggest films from theatre releases.
Netflix says it is committed to showing Warner Bros. movies in cinemas following its astonishing $82.7 billion agreement to buy the company behind the DC Universe, Harry Potter and more. However, it seems like Netflix will set about shortening the window between the cinema and home streaming at the earliest opportunity.
Cinema trade groups calling the merger an “unprecedented threat” (via Deadline) to its business, claiming the biggest chains and the smallest independent cinemas around the world will be negatively impacted by the change.
However, in a call with investors following the announcement of the acquisition, which is subject to Warner being able to rid itself of Discovery, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos said the streaming giant had released around 30 films into theatres this year, and only objects to the exclusivity window theatres have before viewers could watch in the home.
He seemed to hint that Netflix will continue to push for much shorter windows before theatre releases can be streamed on its own platform and, following the acquisition, it’ll push on behalf of Warner Bros. flicks too. Sarandos calls these “more consumer friendly” windows.
He said: “I wouldn’t look at this as a change in approach for Netflix movies or Warner movies, for that matter. I think over time the windows will evolve to be much more consumer friendly … to meet the audience where they are … all those things we’d like to do. But I’d say that right now you should count on everything that has planned on going to the theaters through Warner Bros. will continue to go to the theaters through Warner Bros. And Netflix movies will take the same [path] as they have — which is some of them do have a short run in the theater beforehand.”
The trade association, Cinema United, said Netflix’s cinema releases have been “token” and called on regulators to block the deal due to the risk of 25% of the annual domestic box office takings in the United States going kaput.
Chris Smith
