At CinemaCon 2026, important discussions were held about how to increase foot traffic in theaters. Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group chairman Tom Rothman suggested measures to improve the theatrical experience and proposed that cinema owners establish longer theatrical windows for films. Under these circumstances, the Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos reportedly held meetings with top exhibition bosses to discuss releasing the streamer’s films in theaters.
Do Ted Sarandos’s meetings with theater heads signify a pivot in Netflix’s strategy?
At the event, Sarandos reportedly met with top exhibition executives, including AMC Theatres CEO Adam Aron, Regal CEO Eduardo Acuna, and Cinemark CEO Sean Gamble. The insiders described these meetings as the Netflix head exploring the possibility of putting more films into theaters. It must be noted that the meetings weren’t of a formal kind, and no deals were being made.
Insiders have described these interactions as Sarandos “dipping his toe in the water.” Notably, Netflix’s strategy has always favored streaming-first releases, allowing the movies under its banner short theatrical windows of 2-3 weeks maximum. However, these meetings potentially signal a pivot as the Netflix executive is looking for ways to collaborate with exhibitors, with the tone of the meetings reported as “hopeful.”
Netflix’s strategy has been frustrating for theater owners who rely on longer windows to make money from ticket sales. Sarandos’ recent meetings with exhibitors are early-stage discussions to find common ground.
Although Netflix backed out of the bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery, Sarandos still indicated he was considering a 45-day theatrical window for certain films, a departure from their previous short, three-week window model.
Nevertheless, as things stand, there is no confirmation of a standard theatrical window or a list of films planned for wide release. However, Netflix does have potential incentives in switching to a more theatrical approach, considering that K-pop Demon Hunters performed well at the box office, earning an estimated $18–$20 million for its August 23–24, 2025 weekend run.
Furthermore, rivals like Amazon and Apple have already leaned into full theatrical strategies, which might force Netflix to modify its own strategy. Now it remains to be seen whether Sarandos commits films under the Netflix banner to larger theatrical windows.
