Greta Gerwig's follow-up to Barbiean adaptation of one of CS Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia books, will be available exclusively in theaters for four weeks before hitting Netflix for Christmas, according to a new report from puck. Netflix is historically anti-theatre, but it looks like it can put it aside for the right filmmaker.
Theaters will have an exclusive four-week window to see the film globally, longer than the week. Crystal Onion: A Knives Out Mystery Got it, but to start it will only be available to watch on IMAX screens. IMAX guarantees that the film will play in the format for two weeks, according to Diskand is willing to add another week if there is demand. After that, the film could also hit non-IMAX theaters.
Netflix, although it owns some movie theaters, is philosophically opposed to theatrical exclusivity. He'll put Netflix movies in theaters long enough to qualify for awards season, but otherwise he'll avoid them like the plague. This might be good for subscribers who have become accustomed to watching everything at home, but most filmmakers want their movies to be seen on the big screen. For example, Netflix reportedly lost the opportunity to distribute salty burn Director Emerald Fennel's next film, an adaptation of Wuthering Heightsbecause he refused to give the film time in theaters, according The New York Times.
Rumors circulated that IMAX, Gerwig and Netflix They were discussing a deal in October 2024, and it seems that the director got her way. It's strange having to fight tooth and nail to get what could be a blockbuster movie seen by a paying audience. There's plenty of evidence that putting movies in theaters makes money, but it's a lesson that even companies like Disney have had to relearn after the streaming boom. moana 2 began as a filler for Disney+ before being modified and turned into a theatrical release that earned more than $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 for their own theatrical deals.
