Netflix announced Friday that it will, for the first time, release a film theatrically widely for more than a month before making it available on the company’s streaming service.
The film, “Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew” by Greta Gerwig, will be released in theaters on February 12, Netflix announced, then on the streaming service on April 2.
The project breaks from Netflix’s long-standing policy of releasing films exclusively on its streaming service, with some caveats. Many filmmakers and theater chain owners were desperate for the entertainment giant to start releasing films theatrically, to help prop up struggling box office sales.
When asked if this was a change in strategy or a one-time exception, a Netflix spokeswoman said: “There is no change to our film strategy. »
Still, Netflix has shown signs that it’s gearing up for big theatrical releases. When the company was looking to buy Warner Bros. Discovery this year, one of its chief executives, Ted Sarandos, said he would honor the 45-day theatrical window the studio had long observed. Then last month, he visited theater owners at a convention in Las Vegas and suggested that Netflix was increasingly interested in striking tailor-made deals with them, like last year’s “KPop Demon Hunters” sing-along events. But no firm commitments regarding the release of specific films have been made.
Netflix had originally planned to show Ms. Gerwig’s film for two weeks on IMAX, the large-format technology, starting on Thanksgiving. The director had just released “Barbie,” which earned $1.4 billion when it was released in 2023, and while willing to work with Netflix, she wanted to see her film in theaters. But it was planned to then go directly to streaming, without an exclusive window for traditional cinemas.
Ms Gerwig welcomed the change in a statement released on Friday. The film will also continue to be released on IMAX.
“Working with Netflix to bring this film to life has been extraordinary, and IMAX continues to be an incredible partner,” Ms. Gerwig said in a statement. “I can’t wait for people to see the film in theaters on February 12 and on Netflix on April 2.”
Netflix argued that it operates in the subscription business and therefore its subscribers should have priority access to films made by the company. This position has often caused him to lose films – such as Emerald Fennell’s “Wurnwind Heights” – because filmmakers want to see their films in theaters for long periods of time.
Theater owners believe these exclusive storefronts are essential to their survival and are demanding longer periods between when a film hits their theaters and when it arrives on home streaming services.
