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Quentin Tarantino’s Next Movie Officially Removed From 43% of Theaters
Netflix’s The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth has lost access to about 43% of IMAX screens run by the three largest US cinema chains, after Regal and Cinemark declined to show it. The David Fincher-directed sequel, based on Quentin Tarantino’s screenplay, will therefore depend largely on AMC for its planned cinema release.
Netflix is seeking a two-week IMAX exclusive beginning 25 November, before the film arrives on its streaming service on 23 December. It is expected to play on about 200 IMAX screens in the US and 550 worldwide. Regal and Cinemark have cited the short cinema window in choosing other holiday releases, including The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, for premium screens.
In short
- Regal and Cinemark will not screen the film.
- Netflix is planning a two-week IMAX run from 25 November.
- The film is expected on about 200 US IMAX screens.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Regal and Cinemark can reasonably prioritise films with longer theatrical runs, which give cinemas more time to build audiences and earn revenue from premium screens. During a crowded holiday season, choosing releases such as The Hunger Games may be a practical business decision when Netflix plans to move this film to streaming after only two weeks.
The case against
Netflix can argue that a concentrated IMAX release offers a distinctive big-screen experience while letting the film reach streaming viewers soon afterwards. Limiting its access to major cinema chains’ screens may reduce audience choice and make it harder for a high-profile film to demonstrate demand for a shorter theatrical window.
Explained simply
IMAX is a large-screen cinema format, and the biggest US cinema chains control many of its screens. Netflix is a streaming company that also releases some films in cinemas; this film is directed by David Fincher and based on a screenplay by Quentin Tarantino.
The disagreement centres on how long the film would be exclusive to cinemas before reaching Netflix. Regal and Cinemark have chosen other holiday films for their premium screens, while AMC is expected to carry much of this film’s US cinema run. That affects how widely audiences can see it in IMAX before it becomes available to stream.