Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos has reaffirmed his commitment to maintaining traditional theatrical release windows for Warner Bros. films if the streaming giant’s proposed $82.7 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery progresses. Sarandos made this declaration during an unexpected appearance at a Canal+ Group event in Paris, which focused on the 2026 content lineup of Canal+ and its production arm, StudioCanal.
During his remarks, Sarandos stated, “Our intentions when we buy Warner Bros. will be to continue to release Warner Bros. studio movies in theaters with the traditional windows.” His comments come in response to ongoing concerns from exhibitors and industry stakeholders regarding the potential impact of the acquisition on the theatrical landscape.
Sarandos acknowledged that Netflix has historically not engaged in theatrical distribution. He explained, “We never got into it before because we never owned a theatrical distribution mechanism.” He emphasized that Netflix’s growth had primarily relied on monetizing films through its subscription model.
The Netflix executive also pointed out the short history of the platform’s original programming. “We’ve only been doing original programming for 12 years,” he noted. “We have been moving very fast, building a library as fast as we can. Our library only extends back a decade, whereas Warner Bros. stretches back a hundred years. They know a lot about things we haven’t ever done, like theatrical distribution.”
Sarandos’s insights were delivered in an interview conducted by Maxime Saada, the chairman and CEO of Canal+ Group. Saada inquired about the future of Netflix’s relationship with Canal+ post-acquisition. Sarandos responded that Netflix plans to continue competing for event programming and specialized sports, including significant boxing matches. He stated, “Our primary mission is film and television.”
In a noteworthy moment, Saada expressed gratitude to Netflix for fostering a culture of paid content among French audiences. He remarked, “Before you showed up, we had approximately 30 percent of French people willing to pay [for] TV. Netflix showed up in France with your proposition and user experience, and you convinced the French to pay, and now the penetration of paid television is 75 percent.”
The event also featured Anna Marsh, CEO of StudioCanal, who reiterated the company’s commitment to theatrical releases and introduced a new film project titled Elsinore, featuring actors Andrew Scott and Olivia Colman.
As the landscape of film distribution continues to evolve, Sarandos’s remarks indicate a strong intent to integrate traditional practices with the modern streaming model, potentially reshaping the future of cinema.
