Netflix’s theatrical plans under Warner Bros. are under scrutiny as a new report suggests a short window for movie releases after the deal closes. The report indicates Netflix may set a 17-day theatrical window, a span that would likely reduce box office earnings and encourage quick switch to streaming.
Deadline cites sources claiming this plan would undermine the traditional model by letting audiences wait roughly two weeks for a streaming release. Currently, the typical theatrical window ranges from 30 to 45 days, varying by distributor and performance. The shift would also bypass the usual sequence where films appear on digital rental and purchase platforms before or alongside streaming, a sequence Netflix has not followed in the past.
This approach appears at odds with earlier statements from Netflix leaders about the company’s commitment to theaters. CEO Ted Sarandos once described the theatrical experience as an outmoded idea while saying Netflix was saving Hollywood. He later moderated those remarks after the Warner Bros. agreement, yet the question remains whether Netflix intends to make theater a core part of its business.
Prior to the latest report, Netflix representatives publicly reassured the industry that the acquisition would strengthen its theatrical ambitions, not merely absorb Warner Bros. co-CEO statements framed the plan as a commitment to release movies in theaters. They asserted that films would be released in theaters in the same manner as they would have been under Warner Bros., with the same operating structure.
“We’re deeply committed to releasing those movies exactly the way they would release those movies today. The theatrical business — we talked a lot about in the past about wanting to do it, because we’ve never been in that business. When this deal closes, we are in that business. And we’re going to do it.”
“If we did this deal 24 months ago, all those movies we saw this year do so well for Warner Bros would have been released in the same way in theaters. I’m talking about Minecraft, I’m talking about Superman, I’m talking about Weapons, I’m talking about Sinners. These movies will be released on Netflix through theaters the way Warner Bros did it before, but with the Warner Bros operating entity.”
If the new window is accurate, Netflix would appear to seek benefits from both sides: a shorter, cheaper path to audience reach through streaming and continued access to a theatrical footprint. Observers will await an official confirmation to determine how much the company intends to change the theatrical landscape and what this means for competitors and audiences alike.
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