Entertainment · Film · 6 hrs ago
Cinemark and Regal Decline to Screen Netflix’s Cliff Booth Film
Cinemark and Regal will not show Netflix’s Cliff Booth film in their theaters.
The film, a follow-up to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, is set for a two-week IMAX run starting November 25, before moving to Netflix later in December.
Cinemark CEO Sean Gamble said the release plan is not constructive for the wider theater industry because it gives cinemas a short period to show the film.
The decision also leaves Cinemark’s IMAX screens available for The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, which opens just before Cliff Booth and has strong advance sales, Gamble said.
Regal also pointed to short theatrical windows, saying they limit audiences’ chances to see films in theaters.
Netflix plans longer theatrical runs for some future films, and Gamble said Cinemark is encouraged by those plans but will see how they are carried out.
Cinemark and Regal have declined to screen Netflix’s The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth, citing concerns about its short theatrical window.
The film is scheduled for a two-week IMAX run starting Nov. 25 before streaming on Netflix.
Cinemark CEO Sean Gamble said the proposed release model was not constructive for the broader theatrical ecosystem.
Cinemark plans to use its IMAX screens for the second weekend of The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.
Netflix says it expected that not every theater chain would show the film in IMAX.
The articles give different Netflix streaming premiere dates: Dec. 23 in AV Club and Dec. 25 in TheWrap.
- Who
- Netflix, Cinemark and Regal are involved. Cinemark CEO Sean Gamble explained the chain’s decision.
- What
- Cinemark and Regal declined to screen Netflix’s The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth.
- When
- The two-week IMAX engagement is scheduled to start Nov. 25. The articles disagree on whether the Netflix premiere is Dec. 23 or Dec. 25.
- Where
- The film was planned for IMAX screens; the articles describe the release as involving theaters around the world.
- Why
- Cinemark said the release model’s short theatrical window was not constructive for the broader theatrical ecosystem. Regal said shortened windows limit audiences’ opportunity to see films on the big screen.
Netflix
Cinemark and Regal
Release strategy
Netflix
Netflix planned a two-week IMAX engagement before streaming the film. Netflix said it expected not every theater chain to carry it in IMAX.
Cinemark and Regal
Cinemark said the proposed model was not constructive for the broader theatrical ecosystem; Regal said shortened windows limit the opportunity for audiences to see films on the big screen.
Theater participation
Netflix
Netflix arranged an IMAX run with AMC.
Cinemark and Regal
Cinemark and Regal declined to screen the film.
Netflix had planned the release date and strategy for Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, but moved that film to February and substituted Cliff Booth.
The two-week IMAX engagement for The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth is scheduled to begin.
The film is scheduled to premiere on Netflix; AV Club gives Dec. 23, while TheWrap gives Dec. 25.
- Film
- The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth
- Theatrical format
- IMAX
- Theatrical run
- Two weeks, starting Nov. 25
- Netflix premiere
- Dec. 23 according to AV Club; Dec. 25 according to TheWrap
- Declining chains
- Cinemark and Regal
- Alternative IMAX booking
- The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’s second weekend
3 sources
What people are saying
In this particular case, we don’t believe the proposed release model is constructive for the broader theatrical ecosystem, and it’s not aligned with what’s of the greatest interest in our theaters.
The buzz on [Hunger Games] pre-sales are through the roof
Netflix contends that it always anticipated not every theater chain would carry “Cliff Booth” in Imax
Shortened theatrical windows have a direct impact on those decisions, as they limit the opportunity for audiences to experience films on the big screen