After Netflix won the bidding war for Warner Bros.’ film and streaming business in December 2025, the company revealed its plans for releasing films in theaters. In a recent New York Times interview, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos explained that, after Netflix acquires Warner Bros., he “will run that business largely like it is today, with 45-day windows.”
In April 2025, Sarandos previously stated that he loved theaters but thought that theatrical moviegoing is an “outmoded idea, for most people, not for everybody.” As a result, Netflix’s purchase of Warner Bros. ignited backlash and fears over the film industry’s future.
Sources even told Deadline that Netflix has been “proponents of a 17-day window, which would steamroll the theatrical business.” However, Sarandos said to the New York Times that he meant it was “outmoded for some.”
As a fan of going to the movies, I breathed easier after hearing Sarandos’s plans for Warner Bros.’s films. Warner Bros. owns several major franchises, including DC Comics, Harry Potter, Dune, the Monsterverse, and The Lord of the Rings. Now that Netflix has bought Warner Bros., changing the amount of time its films are in theaters would have a massive impact on the film industry, including theaters and moviegoers, but not in a good way.
Theaters need films to succeed, now more than ever
When the pandemic put the world on lockdown, people were forced to stay home and rely on streaming services like Netflix to watch new movies. This widespread quarantine dealt a heavy blow to the film industry, and movie theaters are still recovering and trying to stay open.
Since 2020, the U.S. has reportedly lost over 5,600 theater screens due to the pandemic, with multiple movie theater chains filing for bankruptcy and/or closed. It’s been especially tough for independent movie theaters to stay open, and reducing the 45-day window could hurt small businesses even more.
It has also become more challenging for theaters following the 2023 writers and actors’ strikes, which halted multiple productions, prevented film promotions, and delayed big-budget releases. According to Comscore data reported by Variety, the strikes led to U.S. domestic ticket sales falling to $8.75 billion, a 23.5% drop from 2019. 2025 didn’t even see the U.S. box office reach $9 billion, as Variety reported.
As someone who worked at a movie theater during the pandemic, I witnessed firsthand how hard it was when fewer people came to see films at the cinema. With the industry still trying to bounce back, if Netflix were to limit screenings of Warner Bros.’s films, they would make it even harder for cinemas to turn a profit.
Going to the movies is good for the mind
Going out to watch movies in theaters helps people engage with their community, which has been shown to have a positive impact on mental health. A 2019 scientific study from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing found that over 2,100 adults who often practice cultural engagement (going to museums, theater, and cinemas) had a 32-48% lower risk of developing depression.
Don’t get me wrong, streaming movies has had its benefits. It can save people time and money going to and from the nearest theater and paying for a ticket. Also, even though Hollywood’s same-day streaming releases for films were controversial during the pandemic, they allowed people to watch the films they wanted to see without fear of catching COVID in theaters.
However, streaming films at home can get too isolating over time. There is already a loneliness epidemic in the U.S., and scientific research has found a strong correlation between loneliness and anxiety and depression in adults.
Northwestern Medicine also found that binge-watching shows on streaming platforms like Netflix has added to people’s isolation and loneliness. If Netflix were to push Warner Bros.’ popular filmss to streaming sooner, more people may choose to watch them alone at home.
I think people should be able to watch a film in an environment where they feel safe and comfortable. Still, the movie theater gives people the option to leave the house and be with others. Longer screening windows could encourage more people to go to the cinema and stay socially active, which can make them feel less lonely.
People still want to go to the movies
While many people have grown accustomed to streaming films, a significant demographic still enjoys watching in theaters. Variety reported that, in a National Research Group study, 59% of Gen Alpha, children born between 2013 and 2025, said they prefer to watch movies in theaters rather than at home.
Since streaming at home and on smartphones has become the norm for most people, watching movies in the theaters has become an even more special and desirable activity for the new generation. It would be best for Netflix to appeal to them in cinemas, as younger audiences have long been the core demographic in the film industry.
Netflix has already experienced great success with its own theatrical screenings. Even when KPop Demon Hunters and the Stranger Things 5 finale were available on streaming, both blockbusters grossed millions of dollars in the short time they were shown in theaters in 2025. This turnout proves there is an audience that will pay to watch their favorite films in cinemas instead of on streaming.
At the end of the day, Netflix’s acquisition of Warner Bros. will give the film industry a significant shakeup, but the films’ time in theaters should not fall. Cinemas have long been essential to making movies such an enjoyable experience, as well as a profitable art form, and using them less would be a disservice to people in and outside the industry.
