On Wednesday, a Netflix official ruled out the idea of theatrical releases for the streaming service’s original films. During a press event, Netflix content head Bela Bajaria stated that theatrical releases are simply not part of the company’s economic model.
“We are the only true pure-play streamer, and our users enjoy films and want to watch them on Netflix. And it will always be the most essential thing to us,” Bajaria remarked. “A lot of other corporations and enterprises perform theatrical work, and it’s a profitable industry for them. “It’s simply not our business,” she said.
Netflix has previously declined to pursue theatrical releases, at least in part because theatres wanted the streaming service to wait 90 days before making the movie available on the internet. According to Netflix officials, the money from theatrical movies is just not large enough.
Beginning in autumn 2018, when the multi-Oscar-winning Roma was released, Netflix has provided select movies with a limited theatrical distribution ahead of their streaming date. This window can last from a week to an entire month, and it is frequently provided to films attempting to qualify for the Oscars.
This year, Netflix’s Bradley Cooper-directed and -starring Maestro premiered in theatres on November 22 before reaching the site on December 20. The film is nominated for seven Oscars.
