Follow Greta Gerwig’s Barbiean adaptation of one of C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia books, will be exclusively viewable in theaters for four weeks before arriving on Netflix at Christmas, according to New report from Bock. Netflix is historically anti-theatrical, but it looks like they can put that aside for the right director.
Theaters will have a four-week exclusive window for the film globally – longer than a week Glass Onions: A Knives Mystery Got – but it will only be available to watch on IMAX screens to start. IMAX guarantees that the film will be shown in this format for two weeks, according to the IMAX network puckAnd willing to add another week if there is demand. After that, the film could come to non-IMAX theaters as well.
Although Netflix owns a few theaters, it is philosophically opposed to theatrical exclusivity. Netflix will put movies in theaters for the amount of time required to qualify for awards season, but will avoid them like the plague. That may be fine for subscribers who are used to watching everything at home, but most filmmakers want their films to be seen on the big screen. For example, Netflix reportedly lost a distribution opportunity Saltburn The upcoming film, directed by Emerald Fennell, is based on the film Wuthering HeightsBecause of her refusal to give the film time to show in theaters, according to New York Times.
There have been rumors of IMAX, Gerwig and Netflix We were discussing a deal in October 2024, It seems the director got what he wanted. It’s strange to have to fight tooth and nail for what could be a blockbuster to be seen by a paying audience. There’s plenty of evidence that showing movies in theaters makes money, but it’s a lesson that companies like Disney have had to relearn after the streaming boom. Moana 2 It started out as a Disney+ filler before being adapted and made into a theatrical release It grossed over $200 million in December 2024.
It’s impossible to say whether this decision signals a long-term change at Netflix, but future filmmakers working with the company now have an interesting precedent to point to in their own theatrical deals.