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Movie theaterUnprecedented alliance between Netflix and cinemas
Netflix has struck a deal with three major US movie networks to stream the second installment in the “Knives Out” franchise.
Until now Netflix allowed itself incursions into dark rooms for marketing operations or to allow its films to compete for the Oscars. (illustrative image)
AFP
The streaming platform Netflix, long accused of being the gravedigger of cinema, has just forged an unprecedented alliance with three major networks of dark rooms in the United States, giving them the scoop to screen the second opus of the “Knives Out” franchise. drawn”.
“Glass Onion: A Tale at Daggers Drawn,” a mystery film starring British superstar Daniel Craig as a sagacious detective, will hit theaters for a week from November 23-29, according to a statement released Thursday.
The streaming giant has reached an agreement with three major American cinema networks, Regal, AMC and Cineworld, to grant them this exclusivity: subscribers to the platform will have to wait until December 23 to see the film at home. The feature film will be screened in only 600 theaters, mainly in the United States and in other markets such as Great Britain, Spain, Australia or Germany, but not in France.
small revolution
This union between the group of Reed Hastings and cinemas is a small revolution: so far Netflix has authorized incursions into dark rooms for marketing operations at festivals, or to allow its films to compete for the Oscars , but had never made a deal like this.
“I’m so happy (…). These movies are made to thrill audiences, and I can’t wait to feel the energy of the crowd,” director Rian Johnson said in the statement. Netflix spent more than $460 million last year to buy the rights to the smash hit “Knives Out” franchise.
Movie theaters are currently trying to bring back some of the audiences who deserted after the pandemic. On the other hand, the fierce competition between platforms (Disney+, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max) is causing a growing pains at Netflix. The industry veteran lost nearly 1.2 million subscribers in the first half, a first in ten years.
“Continue to co-exist”
In this context, the AMC cinema network welcomed this marriage of convenience. “Cinema theaters and streaming platforms can continue to co-exist,” said its boss, Adam Aron, quoted in a press release, wishing “more cooperation between AMC and Netflix”.
By coordinating the release of a blockbuster like this, “theaters will make more money by having more titles to show, and, thanks to the greater cultural resonance these films can derive from a theatrical release, they will eventually be released to a wider audience when they are also viewed on streaming platforms,” he said.
(AFP)