Overview
- A New York Times profile published Friday reported Dan Lin saying Netflix has “accepted” it will not work with filmmakers who insist on theatrical releases, a blunt stance repeated across trade outlets.
- Netflix will keep a high-volume streaming slate this year, with reporting that roughly 88 made-for-TV films are planned and the vast majority slated to debut on the service instead of in theaters.
- The company will still use brief theatrical windows in targeted cases: Greta Gerwig’s Narnia is set for a wide theatrical run before streaming in 2027 and David Fincher’s film will have a limited global IMAX run before appearing on Netflix.
- Lin has ordered a shift to fewer, lower-cost, genre-focused films made more like TV shows, and he reports to chief content officer Bela Bajaria, a structure that executives say helps explain the television-style approach.
- The policy change has already strained some projects and relationships, leaving theaters with fewer new studio partners and prompting filmmakers who want a traditional cinema release to seek other studios or distributors.