For the first time, a Netflix movie will have a week-long theatrical preview event at 600 AMC, Regal and Cinemark theaters in the U.S. Historic deal marks the first time The three major theater chains have agreed to show a big-budget Netflix movie.
Viewers will have the opportunity to see “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,” the sequel to “Knives Out,” in theaters over Thanksgiving weekend, November 23-29, exactly one month before that Netflix premieres the film on its platform on December 23. Tickets go on sale Monday, October 10.
The streaming giant also announced yesterday that the film will also play in select theaters in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Spain, Israel, Australia, and New Zealand.
Netflix acquired the rights to “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” and “Knives Out 3” for $450 million. The streamer is likely hoping that the theatrical release will bring new subscribers to the streamer who want to watch the film in their homes. During the summer, the company experienced a loss of almost a million subscribers.
Adam Aron, president and chief executive officer of AMC, said in a statement: “This announcement of our first deal with Netflix is important to AMC and to movie lovers around the world. As we’ve often said, we believe that both theatrical exhibitors and streamers can continue to successfully co-exist…thanks to the greater cultural resonance those movies can get from a theatrical release, they’ll end up being shown to a larger audience when they’re also seen on streaming platforms.”
Previously, AMC, Regal, and Cinemark boycotted Netflix movies. In 2014, all three theater chains refused to show Netflix’s first original movie, “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend” because the companies were unwilling to show a movie that would simulcast to users in their homes. .
Also, in 2019, AMC and Regal refused to show Netflix’s “Roma” in theaters, which was the first Netflix film to be nominated for best picture. The following year, Netflix’s best picture nominees “The Irishman” and “Marriage Story” were also not shown on AMC or Regal.
Now, it looks like AMC, Regal, and Cinemark have turned the page, most likely due to the continued success of Netflix movies. Netflix had 7 wins during last year’s Oscars.
“Knives Out” was a box office smash when it hit theaters in 2019, earning $311.6 million worldwide on a $40 million budget. So we imagine the sequel will do well in theaters.
Glass Onion will see the return of detective Benoit Blanc, played by Daniel Craig, who has to solve a murder during a trip to a private Greek island owned by tech billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton). Other stars include Dave Bautista, Kate Hudson, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Ethan Hawke, and Leslie Odom, Jr.