Episode 172: Cinemark and Regal Shut Out Netflix's Cliff Booth

Cinemark and Regal — the #2 and #3 U.S. theater chains — are refusing to book Netflix's The Further Mis-Adventures Of Cliff Booth , Quentin Tarantino's follow-up to Once Upon A Time In Hollywood , citing its two-week theatrical window as a threat to long-term industry structure. AMC is in. The major chains are out. For agents, producers, and executives navigating deals with streamers, the battle lines around theatrical windows just got clearer. Key Takeaways: Netflix set a two-week IMAX theatrical window for Cliff Booth 's Nov. 25 opening, ahead of a Dec. 25 streaming debut — Cinemark and Regal both passed. Cinemark CEO Sean Gamble explicitly cited "precedent" and long-term "industry dynamics" as the rationale, making this a declared policy position, not a one-off negotiation. Regal SVP Brooks LeBoeuf confirmed IMAX and premium screens will be prioritized for titles that "recognize the value of theatrical exclusivity" — naming The Hunger Games: Sunrise On The Reaping directly. Netflix has six films announced through November 2027 with full theatrical releases and committed box office reporting; windows range from 47 days ( Charlie Vs The Chocolate Factory ) to 50 days ( Narnia: The Magician's Nephew ) — but Cliff Booth 's two weeks sits well below that emerging standard. Amazon is the furthest along in streamer-to-theatrical integration, approaching ~15 theatrical releases per year post-MGM acquisition, with full domestic and international distribution infrastructure. Apple has no firm theatrical commitments yet, but Gamble signaled conversations suggest a ramp-up is likely "before too long" following F1's box office success. Gamble noted "a lot of change happening" at Netflix internally — a public acknowledgment that the streamer's theatrical strategy is still unsettled at the executive level. For anyone structuring a deal with Netflix that includes a theatrical component, the Cliff Booth standoff is a live case study in what happens when window length falls below the threshold major exhibitors will accept. The box office performance of Cliff Booth at AMC and indie houses — without Cinemark and Regal's footprint — will be the data point that shapes every subsequent Netflix theatrical negotiation. Watch the November 25 weekend numbers closely. Subscribe to The Option for daily updates on the business behind the business.