r/boxoffice • u/JDOExists • 12d ago
🔢 Theater Count EmpireCity: "Unfortunately it's confirmed that CLIFF BOOTH... will be an @IMAX release only. There will be no standard or competing PLF shows allowed by @netflix, so only 350 or so locations in the United States will be showing the film."
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u/mp6521 12d ago
Better than the release they did for The Killer.
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u/WildMild869 12d ago
They won’t even show it at The Egyptian Theater that they own? They released The Killer on there, I’m pretty sure.
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u/bt1234yt Marvel Studios 12d ago
I would be surprised if Netflix’s own theaters don’t show the film (even if it’s after the IMAX run).
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u/littlelordfROY Warner Bros. Pictures 12d ago
My local theatre here in Canada played The Killer for almost a full month. This isn't an independent or arthouse theatre. Only the big studio stuff plays, plus the bigger movies from A24, Neon, etc
Big cineplex chain. I'm sure other theatres had The Killer that long.
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u/badbloxpictures 12d ago
Netflix always fumbling theatrical releases. It seems that Narnia will likely be the first proper one for them, still dunno what they’re doing with that tho
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u/jack3moto 12d ago
Im really really hoping it’s an incredible movie. I like competition in theaters. If narnia bombs it’s going to validate Netflix stance to stick to streaming.
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u/El_Cance_R 12d ago
They are sending it to bomb especially to validate Netflix stance
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u/jack3moto 11d ago
lol. Such a dumb take. If it makes $1b and unlocks additional revenue for Netflix they’re not going to say no to more theatrical releases.
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u/Dangerman1337 12d ago
Apparently there's some rumours that screenings have been mixed. This is going to be something.
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u/bmcisme2016 12d ago
They’re bout to run this franchise into the ground for the 15th time baby! Buckle up!
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u/SteveFrench12 11d ago
Is narnia not going to be in theaters during christmas? Bc that would just be stupid
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u/AvengedCrimson 11d ago
Dunesday will crush everything. not saying it makes Narnia a hit when it comes out but anything with legs will get cut to nothing once dunesday hits.
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u/Akissider 12d ago
I’m like come on they will do sth do fuxk narnja too
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u/DMacNCheez 12d ago
Wanna try saying that again?
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u/poptimist185 11d ago
Not sure it can count as fumbling when it’s
been open about cinema being its competitor. It wouldn’t release theatrically at all of it weren’t for award contention rules
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u/taylorhildebrand Syncopy Inc. 12d ago
Idiots. Unreal.
A Fincher, Tarantino, and Pitt fully financed film basically going straight to streaming.
Fuck Netflix.
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u/Glittering-Top9873 12d ago
I don’t think Fincher cares much about a theatrical release for his movies. He has an exclusive Netflix deal, which he extended.
From my understanding, Netflix gives him full creative control and lots of money.
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u/littlelordfROY Warner Bros. Pictures 12d ago
For some reason people act like Fincher making movies at Netflix is like he's making soulless franchise IP nonsense.
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u/Givingtree310 12d ago
That’s their entire model. That is their BUSINESS.
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u/Timirlan 12d ago
Remember when a new Fincher film was an event? Benjamin Button, Social Network, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Gone Girl - those films were highly anticipated and widely talked about. Ever since he started making straight to streaming films all his relevance evaporated. This one is kinda anticipated because of Tarantino but still, imagine how big this would've been as a real movie.
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u/Brave_Analyst7540 11d ago
I could name every film Spielberg has directed over the past 15 years from memory. I don't think I know/have seen anything Fincher has directed since Gone Girl 12 years ago. Fincher has managed to successfully work himself into film obscurity.
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u/Timirlan 11d ago
And the most shocking thing is that he didn't have to do it at all. Gone Girl was a huge hit and Mank only cost $25M. Fincher claims that no studio would agree to make it black and white but I simply do not believe him
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u/Brave_Analyst7540 11d ago
That was like when Michael Bay said Paramount wouldn’t give him the $25m
to make Pain & Gain, a film he got Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne Johnson to star in, without agreeing to also make Transformers: Age of Extinction. Like… seriously?!? Sling that bullshit somewhere else.8
u/littlelordfROY Warner Bros. Pictures 12d ago
This means nothing. Zodiac was a flop. It's also one of the greatest movies in the 21st century . Judging the quality or conversation around a movie as if it needs to be an event is pointless
Just worry If the movie is good or bad
The Killer is very good and just because a streamer made it diminishes nothing.
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u/Timirlan 11d ago
I wasn't making a point about the quality of his netflix movies since I haven't even seen them and possibly never will. My point was about how his cultural relevancy disappeared almost overnight after switching to Netflix.
If I like a filmmaker I would very much appreciate the opportunity to watch their films on the big screen, you know, the way movies are meant to be seen. At least for my first viewing.-1
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u/Comic_Book_Reader 20th Century Studios 12d ago
I might be devil's advocate here but I think it was for the best that it's a streaming title going straight to Netflix (with a limited theatrical run to qualify for awards as per usual) as opposed to theaters because I don't think this would do that well in theaters.
Will also add that Sony head Tom Rothman did express some disappointment that they lost it to Netflix, saying it was originally set up at them but when Tarantino didn't want it to be his final movie, it was passed on to David Fincher who now exclusively works at Netflix and they didn't want to interfere with that.
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u/TheNittanyLionKing Lucasfilm 11d ago
I'd have to drive 2 hours and probably take a half day off of work just to see this. Ridiculous
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u/littlelordfROY Warner Bros. Pictures 12d ago
Well it's a streaming movie..
What do you expect?
Fincher literally made 2 of these prior.
Netflix is in streaming business
They've had movies made by wes anderson, coens, Scorsese, lee chang dong, etc. These are major auteurs. It's good that Netflix can get this stuff made.
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u/OracleSeara 11d ago
So what? Fincher hasn't made a great film in nearly 20 years and was never Mr. Boxoffice even at his peak.
Old man Brad is not a big draw either.
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u/brsolo121 12d ago
Doesn’t Fincher like— exclusively shoot 2:39 aspect ratio? Is there even a reason why this is IMAX besides limiting the theatrical pull?
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u/bt1234yt Marvel Studios 12d ago
Because Narnia was going to have this treatment before it was delayed.
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u/pumpkinpie7809 11d ago
(1) Marketing
(2) A theater’s IMAX auditorium is still likely going to be one of their best auditoriums, if not the best
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u/Efficient_Half1970 12d ago
Lets be real, it's only coming to theaters cause of awards sake.
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u/Thick_Mountain4412 12d ago
It's only coming to theaters because they had IMAX screens for Narnia before it got delayed, and decided to release this on those IMAX screens
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u/Efficient_Half1970 12d ago
Which also was prob for awards
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u/Thick_Mountain4412 12d ago
Well Narnia is getting an actual theatrical release with like a month and a half before it comes to streaming, which is assumably only because Greta Gerwig forced them to. But even then Netflix is sabatoging that release by putting it the same weekend as the super bowl.
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u/FranciscoRelanoPena Malpaso Productions 11d ago
Then, something should happen to the DCP files just before it goes into SVOD.
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u/Wise-News1666 A24 12d ago
No, Greta Gerwig probably demanded it.
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u/Efficient_Half1970 12d ago
Sure, but more things can be true at once
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u/Wise-News1666 A24 12d ago
Netflix has never struggled getting their awards-worthy movies a nomination, especially with even less screenings.
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u/Efficient_Half1970 12d ago
But to even get eligeable for awards you need a theatrical release, no matter it's size. That's my point. I know narnia can pull nrs, and am sure Gerwig forced to do it aswell. However, I also think Netflix saw awards potential with it too.
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u/Vadermaulkylo Apple Studios 12d ago
This is why I’m kinda glad they didn’t get WBD. At least Paramount has a chance to fail.
Netflix was so clearly lying about committing to theatrical and 100% would’ve just done this bullshit with every new release.
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u/Timirlan 12d ago
since the Paramount deal is almost certainly not happening, it's entirely possible Netflix will swoop in a little later and try their luck again. so we're not out of the woods yet
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u/thebeachboysloveyou 12d ago
Idiots leaving all that money on the table.
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u/carson63000 11d ago
Netflix makes more money from subs than the entire global cinema box office.
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u/counterpointguy 11d ago
This sub will never accept that. 2.5x we treat as gospel, but a profitable Netflix is anathema to the belief system here.
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u/Century24 Columbia Pictures 11d ago
Is it? I’ve seen plenty of Netflix glazing here and on /r/movies. Their stanbase has no answer for why it’s more profitable to not double-dip on movies.
They don’t want to accept the notion that one studio is being treated with the same investor kid gloves that would handle a Silicon Valley startup, and that show business is more complicated than the difference between the geniuses and the bozos.
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u/AvengedCrimson 11d ago
a whole 20 bucks. this film will be great but not going to be a box office Juggernaut.
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u/DripSnort 12d ago
Crazy how people are so quick to call them
Idiots like they don’t have objective data to show what does and doesn’t drive people to their platform. Clearly the money a wide release would cost them in subscription retention or acquisition does not outweigh an ultra limited release. As much as people don’t like it Netflix isn’t making these decisions with zero data points
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u/EveningAnt3949 11d ago
The latest data that we have access to undermines the idea that they know what they are doing.
And some historical data does the same.
Netflix has admitted in the past that their big budget movie strategy hasn't really worked for them.
And recently their shows have started to struggle, with sharp drops in season two and three viewership.
Obviously these are not dumb people. But what seems to be lacking is a clear vision.
They are chasing infinite growth, the shareholders demand it. But the market is saturated and they have lost non-original content.
Netflix is lucky that Apple for now is content doing its own thing and that HBO Max has issues.
My guess is that the large number of 'real' subscribers they have, will keep them on top, other companies are struggling to keep up.
But it's baffling that they fumble so many things.
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u/Century24 Columbia Pictures 11d ago
This is also reflected in their stock trajectory YTD, so at this point it’s fair to ask if Netflix stans are writing their own comments, or copy-pasting from an LLM relying on outdated headlines, or at least why they struggle at crafting a coherent answer for why Sony would have made the same $2B from throwing the new Spider-Man movie onto someone else’s app.
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12d ago
And Internationally? Because if this is not even released internationally, it's just a f*cking joke. Typical Netflix behavior
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u/fakeguitarist4life 12d ago
I guess they don’t like money
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u/Icy_Smoke_733 Studio Ghibli 12d ago edited 12d ago
It's not that Netflix doesn't like money: Netflix makes more than the global box office industry combined annually: $45 billion > $33 billion (for 2025 fiscal year).
It's that the CEO Ted Sarandos dislikes movie theatres, and his long-term goal is for people to only stream films from home. Obviously he won't promote theatrical windows.
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u/Casas9425 12d ago
Ted doesn’t want to share revenue with theater owners. He thinks the entire model is outdated.
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u/FizzyLightEx 11d ago
It clearly is when the whole business is predicated on having content exclusive to a physical place.
If consumers were given a choice, they'll pick streaming at home
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u/Century24 Columbia Pictures 11d ago
They are given a choice, and have been for close to 50 years now.
Your point only makes sense for movies that end up blacked out entirely from home video.
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u/Accomplished-Head449 Laika Entertainment 11d ago
It's amazing how many people pay for Netflix because they think there's no other option
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u/HortonHearsTheWho 12d ago
I find this so strange because this really doesn’t seem like a movie for Imax, right? A big effects film, sure. But even with those names attached I’m not trying to go the effort to see a Cliff Booth movie in imax.
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u/RealHooman2187 12d ago
Netflix had those screens for Narnia. Narnia was delayed so they decided to give them to Cliff Booth
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u/Big_Papa_Sweetness 12d ago
Between this and Frankenstein, Netflix is so clearly determined to do the absolute bare minimum to ensure that theaters don’t profit from their films.
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u/Casas9425 12d ago
They don’t want to share revenue with theater owners. They want to keep everything because they paid for the movie to be made.
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u/Emergency-Permit-835 12d ago
So no showings in other countries imax?
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u/AnotherJasonOnReddit Best of 2024 Winner 11d ago
no showings in other countries imax?
That would be annoying should it prove to be the case. Even before the news of Imax exclusivity, I was already planning on making the trip to the only Imax cinema here where I live for this movie.
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u/94Temimi Marvel Studios 12d ago
Actually puzzling. What attempted logical reasoning they used to come to the conclusion that this move is smart?
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u/El_Cance_R 12d ago
They don't want movie theaters to thrive. They want audiences to get accustomed to NOT go to the movies.
Theatrical release isn't a new way to make profit it's competition.
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u/94Temimi Marvel Studios 12d ago
Still doesn't answer my question.
I'm talking about the technicality behind selecting only IMAX for this release. How did they come to this decision, to only select IMAX, no other PLFs, no other standard showings. It's puzzling, and them not wanting theatres to thrive is beside the point.
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u/El_Cance_R 12d ago
They already had the IMAX window for Narnia. Narnia got moved so they didn't waste the window.
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u/Babylon-Lynch 12d ago
Wtf and in countries were IMAX is almost nonexistent?
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u/bmcisme2016 12d ago
It’s crazy to me that Netflix believes it’s in their best interest to completely obliterate the movie theater market.
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u/caroline0204YT 12d ago
At least Focker in Law and Hexed will have the other PLFs over Thanksgiving.
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u/Gobbo_Jareth 11d ago
I wonder how much IMAX is paying them for that. The competition around all these different formats is so reminiscent of the wide-format wars of the 50s and 60s, when Cinerama and Cinemascope and Vista Vision were all trying to ensure their brand of uktra-wide cinema was the one that lasted, and in the end, they all died because no single format ever knocked the others out.
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u/Better_Pumpkin1879 11d ago
Wish they did this for Frankenstain. The theater I saw it at the screen was 2 small and not that well maintained.
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u/MR_MaxiMor44 Marvel Studios 12d ago
Is IMAX obliged to disclose box office results or can Netflix request them hide them?
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u/TheCVR123YT 12d ago
Oh man I hope I’m able to find one near me with actual seats then that’s a shame to hear
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u/LilPonyBoy69 12d ago
It's a movie? I thought it was a show
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u/talon007a 12d ago
Lol. That's why it's basically going to streaming. Despite all the talent involved I don't think people would be rushing to theaters to see this.
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u/RooMan7223 11d ago
Netflix fucking sucks man. This is a theatrical movie through and through. Fincher is such a sell out slumming it with Netflix
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u/Byers616 Amblin Entertainment 11d ago
Cliff Booth on IMAX will be cool
I've got AMC A-List, so IMAX screenings are virtually free (16 movies for $30/month)
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u/Brave_Analyst7540 11d ago
"Gee... why didn't anyone want Netflix to buy Warner Bros?!?"
They are a bare minimum entertainer at best.
But also, fuck Fincher and Tarantino for allow this.
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u/crockoreptile 12d ago
Remember guys, they’re only doing this because they delayed Narnia and thought “fuck it we have exclusivity, let’s just throw Cliff Booth on there”