Netflix Goes On The Record, Promising A Full 45-Day Theatrical Run For Warner Bros. Films

In a wide-ranging interview with The New York Times, Netflix co-chief executive Ted Sarandos made his most explicit case yet that the company is serious about theatrical exhibition, indicating that after its acquisition of Warner Bros. assets is finalized, it will put the studio’s films in theaters for a full 45-day window.

The comments came amid industry backlash following the proposed deal, and long-standing skepticism about Netflix’s commitment to movie theaters, despite a recent softening for a few high-profile titles.

Addressing the widespread concerns directly, Sarandos offered: “When this deal closes, we will own a theatrical distribution engine that is phenomenal and produces billions of dollars of theatrical revenue that we don’t want to put at risk. We will run that business largely like it is today, with 45-day windows. I’m giving you a hard number.”

That statement alone marks a notable departure from Netflix’s historical MO, which has favored minimal or highly selective theatrical runs primarily aimed at awards qualification. Sarandos framed the shift not as a philosophical conversion, but as a business inevitability tied to Warner Bros.’ existing infrastructure. “If we’re going to be in the theatrical business, and we are, we’re competitive people — we want to win. I want to win opening weekend. I want to win box office.”

It will, of course, take more than a few words in a single interview to convince skeptics. Netflix executives have previously downplayed theatrical exhibition as “outmoded,” but Sarandos insists that Netflix never intended to undermine theaters but rather offer an alternative.

Whether this represents a genuine policy shift or a PR assurance delivered to smooth regulatory and industry resistance remains one of, if not the, key questions looming over the Netflix-WBD deal. At the very least, Sarandos has now put Netflix’s position on the record in precise terms that the industry and its fans have been asking to hear for years.