What a Netflix-WBD merger would mean for movie theaters
Since Netflix announced its plan to buy Warner Bros. Discovery this month, film exhibitors have expressed consternation and worry as to what the pending merger would mean for the theatrical business if the world’s leading streaming service acquired one of Hollywood’s oldest studios.
TL;DR
- Exhibitors are concerned about Netflix's plan to buy Warner Bros. Discovery.
- The concern stems from Netflix's business model, which lacks wide theatrical releases.
- Cinema United opposes the deal, advocating for robust theatrical releases with meaningful exclusivity.
- Netflix's current practice involves limited theatrical windows, often for awards eligibility.
- An example cited is 'Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery,' which had a 14-day theatrical run before streaming.