Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos insisted his streamer will still support Warner Bros.’ movie theater output once the deal to buy WBD for $82.7 billion goes through.
“It’s not like we have this opposition to movies into theaters. My pushback has been mostly in the fact of the long exclusive windows, which we don’t really think are that consumer-friendly” Sarandos said on a Friday morning investors call. “But when we talk about keeping HBO operating, largely as it is, that also includes their output movie deal with Warner Bros., which includes a life cycle that starts in the movie theater, which we’re going to continue to support.”
“I wouldn’t look at this as a change in approach for Netflix movies or for Warner movies. I think, over time, the windows will evolve to be much more consumer friendly, to be able to meet the audience where they are quicker,” he continued. “I’d say, right now, you should count on everything that is planned on going to the theater through Warner Bros. will continue to go to the theaters through Warner Bros. and Netflix movies will take the same strides they have, which is, some of them do have a short run in the theater beforehand, but our primary goal is to bring first-run movies to our members, because that’s what they’re looking for.”
More to come…
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