Netflix just made a huge deal for people who want to see their movies in theaters, and this could change a lot for creators and audiences moving forward. Earlier this year, the conversation started up again as people really wanted to see Netflix put some of these great films into theaters across the United States and beyond. Now, the streaming giant has signed a deal with AMC to put KPOP Demon Hunters back on the big screen for singalongs on Halloween weekend. This is great news for fans of the biggest pop culture moment of the year, but there’s more significance dancing under the surface here.
KPOP Demon Hunters’s theatrical release is one of the biggest stories of the year for the movie industry. Netflix has been a complicated subject for a lot of observers because the company prioritizes the at-home viewing experience over theatrical. (As you would expect for a business that was built on shipping DVDs to folks houses, and then to streaming movies from the couch.) But, as time has gone on, more high-profile directors have found themselves in the house of TUDUM. Oftentimes, they would love to see their movies get the massive theatrical run that some other directors enjoy. But, there was no mechanism to do that.
Likewise, KPOP Demon Hunters, in particular has started up a proxy conversation about theater culture and why the movie “don’t hit like they used to.” Having the film effectively win the box office when it premiered in theaters only added flames to that particular fire. (It’s not really that movies aren’t as good, it’s that social media swallowed the Internet whole, and we are awash in opinion. Basically, we live in this meme.) Now, the reported AMC deal might extend beyond KPOP Demon Hunters! And, that’s a fun time for everyone.
AMC and Netflix open a new era of theater distribution
Variety reported that AMC and Netflix are looking at doing more together in the future. Their piece says that 400 screens across the United States and Europe are getting the KPOP Demon Hunters release. Now, most big films get more screens on a debut weekend. But, that can come with time. Think of the hype for something like Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery getting this wide of a release from Netflix. There’s a very real chance that movie could win the box office on opening weekend in that scenario as well. It’s something to keep an eye on.
An AMC spokesperson offered a comment to Variety about the possible partnership. “While the two companies have not had a commercial relationship in recent years, both Netflix and AMC are intrigued by the mutually beneficial opportunities that could arise from this and future collaboration,” they said. “Discussions are underway as to what that may entail, but no further details are being shared at this time.”
So, we aren’t there yet. But, there’s clear desire to explore more of these theatrical releases for movies previously siloed over to streaming. Fans are gonna be watching this stuff like a hawk. There are movies premiering on Netflix that would draw massive crowds in a theater. Evidence of yet another large scale shift for movie distributors. We inch closer to whatever the future of entertainment is going to be.
Could more talent come over because of this deal?
I didn’t bring up Knives Out for no reason. Series director Rian Johnson has been one of the biggest names under the Netflix umbrella. He’s rattled the cage for longer theatrical releases for these movies. He was asked about theatrical prospects in an interview with Variety. The filmmaker is firmly on the side of watching these big movies on a massive screen.
Johnson sounds like a lot of people on Film Twitter over the last couple of years. “I think theatrical is not going anywhere,” Johnson argued. “We’ve seen if you put a movie people want to see in the theaters, they are going to show up for it, and that experience of being in a full house and having that experience is so important. It’s something that I love and I want more of in the world.”
This is music to a lot of film fans’ ears. Nothing is set in stone. AMC and Netflix could deepen this partnership. You could see a lot of their big releases really hit the floor against massive competition. Theatrical experiences shifted in 2020. This Netflix deal is the latest signal that we’re headed into uncharted waters.
(Photo Credit: Netfix)
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
