Universal Pictures Makes Bold Move That Puts It at Odds With Netflix

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With more people watching movies at home through streaming services, movie theaters have struggled recently. However, one company is trying something new: they’re planning to keep movies in theaters for a longer period of time.

According to the New York Times, the studio has decided to keep new movies in theaters for a longer time. They now guarantee a minimum of five weekends in cinemas, and plan to extend that to seven weekends starting in 2027 before releasing films for streaming or home viewing. This is a change from their previous approach in 2020, when they shortened the theatrical release window to about 17 days – just over three weekends.

Universal Pictures Is Making Theater Owners Happy

NBCUniversal is sticking with its plan to release movies in theaters first, believing it’s essential for the health of the cinema industry. Donna Langley, chair of NBCUniversal Entertainment, explained that their approach has always been flexible, but they remain committed to working with movie theaters and prioritizing exclusive theatrical releases.

As a movie lover, I was really happy to hear AMC Theatres and Universal Pictures have reaffirmed their commitment to the cinema experience. AMC’s CEO, Adam Aron, basically said that Universal believing in movie theaters is a huge win for them – and honestly, for all of us who love seeing films on the big screen. It’s great to see these companies supporting the future of going to the movies!

It Starts With Reminders of Him

Universal Pictures is launching a new strategy, starting with the release of the romantic drama Reminders of Him this Friday, March 13th, based on the Colleen Hoover novel. This plan also ensures Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated film, The Odyssey, will play in theaters for at least five weeks after its July 17th release. Other upcoming Universal films affected by this change include Minions & Monsters and Disclosure Day.

Okay, so here’s the thing. This new plan doesn’t quite cover everything. It won’t apply to movies released under Focus Features, which is the studio’s label for more independent, art-house films. Honestly, those movies haven’t been huge box office draws lately. It just makes more financial sense to get them onto streaming platforms quickly – it helps cut down on marketing costs when you know they won’t have a super long run in theaters. Basically, a shorter theatrical window is better for those kinds of films.

Movie theaters have been asking for this for a while, and they’re probably hoping other studios will do the same. This shift is similar to what happened when the time between a movie’s theater release and home release shortened from 90 days to about 45. Some worry that people might be less likely to go to the cinema if they can watch new films at home for less money just a few weeks later. However, studios believe that offering digital rentals helps make up for money lost at the box office.

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2026-03-13 01:05