Competitors may come and go, but Netflix remains the one that brought an evolution to entertainment. It pretty much shook the way we sourced our entertainment. It not only affected regular TV shows but also our habits of going to a movie theater. But a change is inevitable, and other OTT platforms found a way to partner with theaters for a mutually beneficial arrangement. Not Netflix, however.

Despite releasing many Netflix original movies, the company refuses to play along with theaters. What could be the reason behind it? A look into their past strategies could reveal why they refuse to meet theaters halfway the way other OTT platforms do.

Why Netflix has not had a theatrical movie release yet

Netflix has managed to remain at the top of its game despite competitors like HBO, Disney+, Apple TV+, and Hulu, etc., rising in the ranks. But unlike them, the platform is not keen on aiming for theatrical releases. The reason is that they refused to compromise and find a middle point with theaters when it comes to terms and conditions.

As per Collider, their Beasts of No Nation became one such example. There has been a norm that OTT platforms cannot release a movie within the first 90 days of its theatrical release. But Netflix tried to bargain, wanting to release it on their site within a week or two after.

This posed a problem for theaters as it threatened their profit margins. But why does it do so? It is because the company started their work through DvDs by mail, affecting rental shops. Their success in shattering other forms of electronic entertainment has led them to think that cinemas will be eventually forced to change their ways.

While it holds on to this approach, competitors are heading in the opposite direction.

Its competitors want more theatrical releases

When OTT platforms are about to release movies, even the stars involved agree to a pay cut to get a theatrical release. The simple reason is the wide audience, coverage, and money generated from screenings. Apple TV and Amazon Prime make good examples of these cases.

Will Smith’s Emancipation is also an Apple TV+ flick, which benefitted from theatrical release to some extent. Then there are platforms like Mubi and Shudder that go for big screen releases, before bringing them on the platforms. For the near future, Netflix does not plan to go on this route.

Do you agree with Netflix’s strategy of not agreeing with big screens? Share your thoughts in the comments.