The streaming platform Netflix, long accused of being the gravedigger of cinema, has just forged an unprecedented alliance with three major networks of dark rooms in the United States, giving them the scoop to screen the second opus of the Knives Out franchise. .Glass Onion: A Tale of Knives Out, a mystery film where British superstar Daniel Craig once again plays a sagacious detective, will be released in cinemas in several countries for one week from November 23 to 29, according to a press release published on October 6. The streaming giant has reached an agreement with three major American cinema networks, Regal, AMC and Cineworld, to grant them this exclusivity: platform subscribers will have to wait until December 23 to see the film at home. The feature film will be screened in only 600 theaters, mainly in the United States and in other markets such as Great Britain, Spain, Australia or Germany, but not in France. This union between the group of Reed Hastings and movie theaters is a small revolution: until now, Netflix allowed itself to make incursions into dark rooms for marketing operations during festivals, or to allow its films to compete for the Oscars, but no had ever made a deal like this. Director Rian Johnson said in the statement: “I am thrilled […]. These movies are made to thrill audiences, and I can’t wait to feel the energy of the crowd.” Last year, Netflix paid over $460 million to repurchase the rights to the Knives Out franchise, which was a resounding success at the box office. Movie theaters are currently trying to bring back some of the audiences who deserted after the pandemic. On the other hand, the fierce competition between platforms (Disney+, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max) is causing a growing pains at Netflix. The sector veteran lost nearly 1.2 million subscribers in the first half, a first for ten years. In this context, the AMC theater network welcomed this marriage of convenience. “Cinema theaters and streaming platforms can continue to coexist,” said its boss, Adam Aron, quoted in a press release, wishing “more cooperation between AMC and Netflix”. By coordinating the release of a blockbuster like this one, “theaters will make more money by having more titles to show, and, thanks to the greater cultural resonance these films can derive from a theatrical release, they will end up being released to a larger audience. wide when they will also be viewed on streaming platforms,” he said.
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