Topic / Subject

Deadline says AMC CEO Adam Aron is praising Netflix and calling the companies “best of friends” potential, while other theater voices keep side-eyeing Netflix’s theatrical promises.

TL;DR

Aron is taking the friendly approach with Netflix’s theatrical push, but the exhibitor debate isn’t settled: the “45-day window” talk still has big unanswered questions.

Key Details

Deadline reports AMC CEO Adam Aron voiced enthusiasm about Netflix’s theatrical future and said the companies “should be best of friends.” A Variety-published op-ed from Cinema United’s CEO argues Netflix’s “45-day window” pledge still leaves major questions (PVOD, marketing support, and what “45 days” really means). The bigger tension: theaters want consistent, clear windows; Netflix wants flexibility.

Breakdown

This is a rare tone shift in the streaming wars. Instead of the usual “Netflix is the enemy” posture, AMC’s CEO is publicly selling cooperation.

That doesn’t magically fix the core issue, though. The Variety op-ed basically says: cool headline, now show the fine print. The theatrical business lives and dies on predictability—how long a movie stays exclusive to theaters, what happens after, and who’s supporting the release with marketing.

So Aron’s friendliness reads like strategy: if Netflix is going to be a major player in theaters, AMC wants a seat at the table—maybe even first dibs.

What to Watch Next

Whether Netflix clarifies the practical rules behind “45 days” (and sticks to them). Any concrete AMC/Netflix operational moves that go beyond compliments. How other exhibitors respond publicly to Aron’s tone.

Sources

Deadline — “AMC CEO Gushes Over Netflix, Says ‘Companies Should Be Best Of Friends’…”

Variety — “What Netflix Didn’t Say: Why Promising a 45-Day Theatrical Window Still Doesn’t Answer Some Big Questions”

Reuters — “Eleven US states urge DOJ to thoroughly probe Netflix-Warner Bros. deal”

Comment

Do you want Netflix movies in theaters with a real window, or is day-and-date streaming the future no matter what?