Netflix’s desire to release more films on the big screen has not come without some hiccups. More recently, theater chains, including Regal Cinemas, have refused to show the streaming platform’s “The Further Misadventures of Cliff Booth” on their Imax screens. Cinemark also declined the booking of “Cliff Booth,” according to sources.
“Cliff Booth,” which stars Brad Pitt and is directed by David Fincher, is still scheduled to hit AMC’s Imax screens for a two-week release starting Nov. 25 before hitting the streaming platform on Dec. 23.
Lionsgate’s “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping” is currently expected to occupy the majority of theaters with its premiere on November 20. Exhibitors would have had to abandon some of their “Hunger Games” Imax screens for “Cliff Booth,” which will air just a month later — which is banned for some circuits.
Regal highlighted the streaming issue in a statement, with Brooks LeBoeuf, senior vice president of U.S. content, saying: “Regal’s premium displays are among our most valuable assets, and one of the factors we consider in how we allocate them is the level of commitment distributors have to the theatrical market. Shortened theatrical windows have a direct impact on these decisions, as they limit the opportunity for audiences to experience films on the big screen. We will continue to prioritize releases that recognize the value of theatrical exclusives, including “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping,” which will have our full support in IMAX.
With AMC’s 200 Imax screens available in the United States and several other screens offered internationally by independent cinemas, “The Further Misadventures of Cliff Booth” will be shown on more than 500 screens worldwide. Regal has about 100 Imax screens and Cinemark about 20, while some other smaller chains reportedly won’t book “Cliff Booth” either.
Fincher’s film is one of several upcoming Netflix titles slated for theatrical release, including “Narnia: The Wizard’s Nephew,” which will be widely released (including on Imax screens) for nearly 50 days, “The Mosquito Bowl,” “Ray Gunn” and “Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory.” The streaming platform first announced earnings for the big-screen debut earlier this month of “La Bola Negra,” which grossed more than $277,000 in just four theaters and marked the second-highest screen average for a non-English-language film behind 2019’s “Parasite.”
News of the release plans was first reported by Puck.
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