Storyline · entertainment · 2 reports from 2 newsrooms

Netflix film “Cliff Booth” blocked by theater chains

First reported Oct 30, 5:50 PM ET · Latest Nov 3, 10:58 AM ET · Explainer updated Nov 3, 11:31 AM ET

Where things stand

Cinemark has refused to screen Brad Pitt’s “Cliff Booth” after Netflix demanded an ultra‑short two‑week theatrical window, the chain’s CEO said, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Continuum

Facts

Facts appear here as Relay matches them to the reports.

Timeline

What changed: Earlier, Variety reported that both Regal and Cinemark had also declined to show the movie on their IMAX screens.

Every report, newest first

  1. Cinemark Won’t Screen Brad Pitt’s ‘Cliff Booth’ Movie Over Netflix’s Demands, CEO Says — The Hollywood Reporter

    Cinemark boss says agreeing to the streamer's ultra-short two-week release window is "not aligned [with] what's of the greatest interest in our theaters."

  2. Netflix’s ‘Cliff Booth’ Won’t Play in Regal and Cinemark Imax Theaters — Variety

    Netflix’s push to release more films on the big screen hasn’t come without a few hiccups. Most recently, theater chains including Regal Cinemas are declining to play the streaming platform’s “The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth” on their Imax screens.…

Questions

  • It is unclear how Netflix’s demand for a two‑week window will affect its relationships with other theater chains or whether the film will ever receive a theatrical release elsewhere. Open

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More: background

Netflix is trying to release some movies in theaters before moving them to its streaming service, but it wants a very brief exclusive run—about two weeks—rather than the longer windows traditional exhibitors use. Theater chains such as Cinemark and Regal decide whether to book a film, and they can also choose whether to present it in premium formats like IMAX.

How this works: stories from different newsrooms are grouped by topic, then AI writes the explainer using only those reports. It may miss context the reports don't include.