Netflix is reportedly considering a 17-day theatrical window for movies after it acquires Warner Bros. after committing to honor existing obligations to send new releases to theaters when the acquisition is completed.
In a story about the success of the theatrical release of the Stranger Things finale, Deadline reported that a source told the outlet “Netflix have been proponents of a 17-day window which would steamroll the theatrical business, while circuits such as AMC believe the line needs to be held around 45 days.”
Netflix hasn’t made any official statement about theatrical windows. Co-CEOs Greg Peters and Ted Sarandos have, however, shared that they are committed to prioritizing theatrical releases.
In a letter to employees, they said “we’re fully committed to releasing Warner Bros. movies in theaters, just as they do today. Theatrical is an important part of their business and legacy, and we don’t want to change what makes Warner Bros. so valuable. If this deal had happened two years ago, hits like Minecraft and Superman would still have premiered on the big screen as they did—and that’s how we plan to keep it. We haven’t prioritized theatrical in the past because that wasn’t our business at Netflix. When this deal closes, we will be in that business.”
It looks like the company is getting a head start on its plans to get into theaters. The release of Stranger Things in select theaters at the same time the series finale premiered on Netflix made over $25 million for theaters, according to reports Friday. Following those reports, AMC released a statement from its CEO, saying that he’s optimistic about a continued partnership between the streamer and the theater chain.