At a Glance
- Netflix will give future Warner Bros. movies a 45-day exclusive theatrical run
- Co-CEO Ted Sarandos calls the theatrical unit a “phenomenal” revenue engine worth billions
- The pledge reverses Netflix’s historic day-and-date streaming model
- Why it matters: Fans will need to buy tickets if they want to see The Batman Part II, Superman, and other DC films as soon as they open
Netflix has formally promised to keep Warner Bros. films in cinemas for 45 days before they migrate to the streaming platform, according to new comments from co-CEO Ted Sarandos. The pledge arrives as Netflix prepares to absorb the studio’s theatrical-distribution arm in a deal that would add a multibillion-dollar box-office engine to the streaming giant’s portfolio.
Sarandos outlined the plan in a New York Times interview, citing stronger-than-expected profit margins buried inside Warner Bros.’ financial records. “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,” he told the paper. “We will run that business largely like it is today, with 45-day windows. I’m giving you a hard number.”
Inside the Financial Deep Dive
Netflix executives pored over Warner Bros.’ books after the purchase agreement took shape and emerged convinced that the century-old theatrical model still churns out healthy returns. “The general economics of the theatrical business were more positive than we had seen and we had modeled for ourselves,” Sarandos said. “It’s a healthy, profitable business for them.”
Key findings that swayed the company:
- 2025 releases such as The Minecraft Movie, Sinners, Superman, Final Destination Bloodlines, and The Conjuring: Last Rites all outperformed internal forecasts
- Warner Bros.’ 2024 slate-headlined by Furiosa, Joker: Folie à Deux, and Horizon-delivered weaker numbers, highlighting the bounce-back potential of the current lineup
- Day-and-date streaming, Netflix concluded, would cannibalize ticket sales without driving enough new subscribers to offset the lost box-office cash
What the 45-Day Pledge Means for Moviegoers
Starting with The Batman Part II, The Brave and the Bold, and World’s Greatest, every new Warner Bros. title will follow a traditional release pattern:
- Exclusive global theatrical launch
- Minimum 45-day window before any home-entertainment option
- Post-window arrival on Netflix and other platforms
The timeline is shorter than the 75- to 90-day windows common a decade ago, but it marks a decisive shift away from Netflix’s previous experiments that put films on the service the same day they hit theaters.
Sarandos Dismisses ‘Competition’ Concerns
The executive rejected the idea that a trip to the multiplex pulls consumers away from Netflix. “When you go out to see a movie in the theater, if it was a good movie, when you come home, the first thing you want to do is watch another movie,” he argued. “If anything, I think it helps encourage the love of films.”
He pointed to Netflix’s own event-style rollouts-Stranger Things finale screenings and KPop Demon Hunters fan gatherings-as proof that audiences crave communal experiences. “You give people a reason to leave the house, they will gladly leave the house,” he said.
Why Netflix Changed Its Mind
Until now, Netflix treated theatrical exclusivity as a legacy constraint it could bypass. The company’s internal modeling previously assumed that simultaneous streaming debuts would maximize subscriber growth and long-term revenue. Updated data from Warner Bros. upended that belief.
Netflix discovered:
- Theatrical grosses for mid-budget and tent-pole titles routinely exceed $500 million worldwide
- Ancillary revenue-premium VOD, physical media, and licensing-remains strongest when films open exclusively in cinemas
- Brand prestige tied to box-office performance lifts downstream subscription interest
Industry Impact
The 45-day commitment positions Netflix as a hybrid studio, blending old-Hollywood release strategy with streaming-era speed. Rivals such as Disney, Universal, and Sony currently deploy similar windows for their biggest titles, meaning Netflix will compete head-to-head on equal footing rather than attempting to rewrite the rules.
Exhibitor chains, battered by pandemic closures and shortened windows, are likely to welcome the move because it guarantees at least six weekends of exclusive play for Batman, Superman, and other high-profile properties.
Key Takeaways
- Netflix will honor a 45-day theatrical exclusivity period for all future Warner Bros. releases
- The decision follows a financial review that revealed billions in box-office profit currently generated by the studio
- Films such as The Batman Part II and Superman will debut only in theaters, reversing Netflix’s historic day-and-date stance
- Sarandos insists theatrical outings boost, rather than compete with, streaming engagement
