{"id":336693,"date":"2025-10-27T19:29:12","date_gmt":"2025-10-27T19:29:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/336693\/"},"modified":"2025-10-27T19:29:12","modified_gmt":"2025-10-27T19:29:12","slug":"why-netflix-amc-theatres-are-teaming-on-stranger-things-kpop-demon-hunters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/336693\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Netflix, AMC Theatres Are Teaming on Stranger Things, Kpop Demon Hunters"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tAre AMC Theatres<\/a> and Netflix<\/a> finally burying the hatchet?<\/p>\n

\n\tIt sure seems that way after AMC agreed to book \u201cKPop Demon Hunters<\/a>\u201d in 300 venues as Netflix re-releases the animated musical smash<\/a> over Halloween weekend. AMC Theatres, the world\u2019s largest cinema chain, typically refuses to schedule movies from Netflix, the biggest streaming service, because the two companies don\u2019t agree on the length of time a film should remain exclusively on the big screen.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cFor a long time, Netflix\u2019s primary interest in getting its movies into theaters was for awards consideration or appeasing talent,\u201d says analyst Alicia Reese, VP of equity research at Wedbush Securities. \u201cNetflix has more interest now in trying to maximize reach.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAnd who is AMC to deny a hit? With box office revenues 20% behind COVID times, no movie theater is positioned to turn down a crowd-pleaser. AMC was the only major exhibitor not to play \u201cKPop Demon Hunters\u201d when Netflix brought a sing-along version of its most popular film ever to cinemas in August. In a box office twist, the movie was No. 1 for the weekend<\/a> with roughly $18 million.<\/p>\n

\n\tFor years, AMC hasn\u2019t shown interest in getting serious with Netflix even though the theater circuit has desperately needed more movies to show. Only one Netflix release, Rian Johnson\u2019s 2022 \u201cKnives Out\u201d sequel \u201cGlass Onion,\u201d has played at AMC<\/a>. Recently, AMC sounded a more conciliatory note, releasing a statement saying that both companies are \u201cintrigued by the mutually beneficial opportunities that could arise.\u201d Since then, Netflix also has arranged for the two-hour \u201cStranger Things\u201d finale <\/a>to debut in AMC theaters and other locations on New Year\u2019s Eve and New Year\u2019s Day as the episode simultaneously drops on the streamer.<\/p>\n

\n\tNetflix appears to be warming to the big screen, which outsiders attribute to either a belated recognition that theatrical movies tend to have more cultural staying power or a reaction to losing projects like Emerald Fennell\u2019s \u201cWuthering Heights\u201d to Warner Bros. or talent including the Duffer Brothers to Paramount.<\/p>\n

\n\tUnlike major studios, however, Netflix sees multiplexes not as a financial strategy but rather a marketing stunt to excite the fandoms of its major properties, with the goal of driving interest back to the platform. By enlisting AMC locations, Netflix will be able to expand the reach of its theatrical content. For AMC, these one-off events could provide additional revenue during slower times of the year.<\/p>\n

\n\tOther ideas have been percolating since AMC and Netflix agreed to be cordial. Greta Gerwig\u2019s 2026 \u201cNarnia\u201d adaptation, which is already getting a two-week exclusive Imax run in AMC and other venues, could get a release on screens beyond the premium format. Netflix is also contemplating a more robust rollout for David Fincher\u2019s \u201cAdventures of Cliff Booth,\u201d the Brad Pitt-led spinoff of Quentin Tarantino\u2019s 2019 box office hit \u201cOnce Upon a Time in Hollywood.\u201d Because the \u201cNarnia\u201d reboot is slated for next November and \u201cCliff Booth\u201d is eyeing a summer 2026 launch, theatrical plans won\u2019t be finalized until closer to either film\u2019s release.<\/p>\n

\n\tNot every commercial property will enjoy a big-screen boost. \u201cWake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery\u201d will get only an awards qualifying run because plans couldn\u2019t come together for a larger rollout.<\/p>\n

\n\tEarlier in the year, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos dismissed the communal experience of watching a movie in cinemas as an \u201coutmoded idea.\u201d And last week, he reiterated that \u201cour strategy is to give our members exclusive first-run movies on Netflix.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tSo exhibitors don\u2019t expect a full-throated embrace of the big screen \u00e0 la Amazon MGM, which has committed to release 15 theatrical films annually<\/a>. Netflix already puts awards contenders in select theaters for an Oscar-qualifying run. Anything past that will revolve around promotional efforts tied to properties with built-in fan bases.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cNetflix isn\u2019t going to announce a theatrical slate but will be selective when they have something special, which is what everyone wanted,\u201d predicts one theater owner.<\/p>\n

\n\tSince Netflix movies aren\u2019t getting traditional releases, exhibitors are granted more favorable terms as incentives to play them. Netflix has been lenient in other ways. Major distributors often require theater chains to schedule new releases from dawn until dusk. But Netflix told exhibitors to play \u201cKPop Demon Hunters\u201d as they please.<\/p>\n

\n\tHollywood studios welcome Netflix\u2019s acknowledgment of theatrical as long as the streamer doesn\u2019t step on their toes \u2014 whether by hogging the coveted premium large formats or scheduling its programming on prime release dates.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWe\u2019re there for exhibition 52 weeks a year,\u201d says one studio executive. \u201cWe don\u2019t want to take a back seat to Netflix.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Are AMC Theatres and Netflix finally burying the hatchet? It sure seems that way after AMC agreed to…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":336694,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[9840,171,30075,4659,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-336693","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-entertainment","8":"tag-amc-theatres","9":"tag-entertainment","10":"tag-kpop-demon-hunters","11":"tag-netflix","12":"tag-united-states","13":"tag-unitedstates","14":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115447789444654539","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/336693","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=336693"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/336693\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/336694"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=336693"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=336693"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=336693"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}