Netflix Won't Change Its Theatrical Release Strategy — No Matter How Well KPop Demon Hunters Did At the Box Office

We might’ve spoken excessively soon. Despite what seemed similar it could beryllium a alteration of heart, Netflix has confirmed it has nary plans to displacement its merchandise strategy erstwhile it comes to theatrical exhibition.

“There’s nary alteration successful the strategy," CEO Ted Sarandos explained of the company’s presumption connected theatrical organisation of their on-platform titles astatine a caller net conference. "Our strategy is to springiness our members exclusive first-run movies connected Netflix.”

In fact, Sarandos went connected to asseverate that Netflix's latest large hit, KPop Demon Hunters, which played theatrically for a play successful August utilizing the film’s “singalong” edition, lone became a sensation “because it was released connected Netflix first.”

According to the streaming exec, "superfans" of KPop Demon Hunters rapidly latched onto the movie and “drove the proposal engine." In his eyes, this is the cardinal to the company’s stance connected theatrical distribution. "If anything, this really reinforces our strategy, due to the fact that being connected Netflix really allowed the movie to physique momentum,” helium told audiences astatine the conference.

That tracks successful immoderate capacity, arsenic KPop Demon Hunters was not an archetypal hit. Social media and connection of rima ended up catapulting it to Netflix’s astir watched movie ever with an unthinkable 400 cardinal views. Shortly aft the craze became apparent, the singalong mentation went to theaters for a peculiar play engagement and ended up grossing an awesome $19 cardinal globally implicit conscionable 2 days.

This each said, it’s wide Netflix isn’t wholly abandoning the theatrical accumulation strategy. Forexample, Guillermo del Toro’s latest, Frankenstein, is presently enjoying a abbreviated theatrical tally nationwide up of its November 7 premiere day connected the platform, and Rian Johnson’s adjacent project, Wake Up Dead Man, volition besides spot a abbreviated theatrical merchandise model — which volition footwear disconnected for the Thanksgiving vacation — earlier it arrives connected Netflix connected December 12. Plus, Kpop Demon Hunters volition beryllium backmost successful theaters again for Halloween weekend, and adjacent the last occurrence of Stranger Things volition driblet successful theaters simultaneously with its Netflix premiere.

Lex Briscuso is simply a movie and tv professional and a freelance amusement writer for IGN. You tin travel her connected Twitter astatine @nikonamerica.