Netflix Reportedly Wants to Keep Movies in Theaters for Just 17 Days After It Buys Warner Bros.

Netflix reportedly wants to support movies successful theaters for conscionable 17 days aft it buys Warner Bros.

In a study from Deadline connected the Stranger Thing Season 5 finale, which made $25 cardinal successful theaters aft it released astatine the aforesaid clip theatrically arsenic it did connected Netflix, Hollywood was said to beryllium disquieted astir what the streamer considers to beryllium “industry-standard windows” earlier movies are made disposable connected its platform.

And past the bombshell:

Sources person told Deadline that Netflix person been proponents of a 17-day model which would steamroll the theatrical business, portion circuits specified arsenic AMC judge the enactment needs to beryllium held astir 45 days.

It’s worthy noting this isn’t confirmation that Netflix volition settee connected a 17-day model for Warner Bros. movies if and erstwhile its woody is approved. The theatre companies whitethorn extremity up negotiating a lengthy window, possibly determination betwixt 45 days and the 17 days Netflix reportedly is simply a instrumentality of. But what’s wide is that determination volition beryllium a large woody of hostility wrong Hollywood arsenic this is each worked out, with Netflix’s precedence — arsenic you’d expect — bolstering streaming.

If Netflix does unit done a 17-day window, it could impact everything from James Gunn's DC Universe movie, Man of Tomorrow (July 9, 2027), to The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum (December 17, 2027). Then there's Matt Reeves' The Batman: Part 2, which is owed retired October 1, 2027, and Godzilla x Kong: Supernova, owed retired March 26, 2027. How would the likes of James Gunn, Andy Serkis, Matt Reeves and different directors of Warner Bros. movies respond to their enactment having little than 3 weeks successful theaters earlier hitting Netflix?

The $82.7 cardinal Netflix / Warner Bros. woody has sparked a pugnacious effect from immoderate members of Congress, and it is expected to look important scrutiny nether antitrust laws. Meanwhile, astatine slightest 1 HBO Max subscriber has already sued Netflix, claiming the woody threatens to trim contention successful the U.S. subscription video-on-demand market. Warner Bros.-owned streaming level HBO Max includes everything from Game of Thrones to Harry Potter, James Gunn's DC Universe to Barbie, and its contented is expected to beryllium added to Netflix if and erstwhile the woody goes through.

After its announcement, Netflix sent subscribers an email of reassurance amid interest implicit imaginable terms rises. The email — reviewed by IGN — promised subscribers that thing was changing “today,” and confirmed that HBO Max and Netflix would proceed to run separately until the woody closes. It did not regularisation retired aboriginal terms rises, but did committedness that existent rank plans would stay successful spot astatine slightest until the woody goes through. As for erstwhile that volition be, Netflix said it expects to adjacent the transaction successful 12-18 months — so, astatine the earliest December 2026, but it could beryllium arsenic precocious arsenic summertime 2027.

In an capitalist telephone attended by IGN, Netflix main Ted Sarandos struck a assured code erstwhile asked astir the deal’s accidental of success. "We're highly assured successful the regulatory process," helium said. "This woody is pro-consumer, pro-innovation, pro-worker, it's pro-creator, it's pro-growth.”

As portion of the aforesaid call, Sarandos said Netflix would proceed to merchandise Warner Bros. movies successful theaters for now, though expected theatrical merchandise windows to shorten implicit clip to go "more idiosyncratic friendly."

"We've released astir 30 films into theaters this year, truthful it's not similar we person got this absorption to movies into theaters," Sarandos said. "My pushback has been mostly successful the information of the long, exclusive windows that we don't deliberation are that idiosyncratic friendly."

"I wouldn't look astatine this arsenic a alteration successful attack for Netflix movies, oregon for Warner movies for that matter," Sarandos continued. "I deliberation implicit clip the windows volition germinate to beryllium overmuch much user friendly, to beryllium capable to conscionable the assemblage wherever they are, quicker. All those things we'd similar to do. But I'd accidental close present you should number connected everything that is planned arsenic going to the theaters done Warner Bros., volition proceed to spell to the theaters done Warner Bros."

Last month, Rian Johnson expressed vexation astatine the constricted theatrical merchandise of his caller Benoit Blanc Netflix film, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. Netflix released Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery successful theaters connected November 26, successful clip for the Thanksgiving holiday, earlier releasing it connected Netflix itself connected December 12. But it lone released successful “select” theaters, arsenic opposed to nationwide — thing that near the Star Wars: The Last Jedi writer and manager unimpressed.

Meanwhile, Avatar manager James Cameron has said Netflix buying Warner Bros. would beryllium a “disaster.”

“Sorry, Ted [Sarandos], but geez,” helium said connected The Town podcast. “Sarandos has gone connected the grounds saying theatrical films are dead. ‘Theatrical is dead. Quote, unquote.’” Indeed, Cameron remains unconvinced that Netflix would genuinely perpetrate to immoderate meaningful theatrical organisation if it expanded. “It’s sucker bait," helium said. "‘We’ll enactment the movie retired for a week oregon 10 days. We’ll suffice for Oscar consideration.’ See, I deliberation that’s fundamentally rotten to the core. A movie should beryllium made arsenic a movie for theatrical, and the Academy Awards mean thing to maine if they don’t mean theatrical. I deliberation they’ve been co-opted, and I deliberation it’s horrific.”

That said, Cameron isn't opposed to Netflix playing the crippled if it actually, well, plays the game. “They should beryllium allowed to vie if they enactment the movie retired for a meaningful merchandise successful 2,000 theaters for a month,” Cameron noted.

One study has claimed Netflix is peculiarly keen to get Warner Bros.' immense contented room arsenic the streamer ramps up its imaginable to connection AI-generation tools and contented successful the future.

Wesley is Director, News astatine IGN. Find him connected Twitter astatine @wyp100. You tin scope Wesley astatine [email protected] oregon confidentially astatine [email protected].