The CEO of Imax wants to show more streaming titles from Netflix, Amazon, and more going forward
- Imax CEO Richard Gelfond told Business Insider he wants to work more with steaming services in 2020 and beyond.
- Though Imax's partners are the huge theater chains that will not show movies that do not respect the exclusive 72-day theatrical window, Gelfond said, for Imax, "that's less a fight-'til-death issue."
- Gelfond wants to find ways to show more specialty titles, like the Netflix short film "Anima," which featured new music from Thom Yorke's new album, as well as live concerts.
- Gelfond said "we have a number of projects that we've been discussing with" the streaming services.
- The CEO also believes that with studios concentrating more on streaming, that in regards to the current theatrical window, "the line in the sand will move towards the direction of shortening the window."
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Imax Corporation CEO Richard Gelfond partners with the big movie-theater chains, but that doesn't mean he's against showing titles from streaming companies like Netflix.
The big reason why you haven't seen many movies from the streamers on a large Imax screen is because Gelfond's company has deals with theater chains like AMC, Cinemark, and Regal, and they will not show streaming titles unless they agree to respect the 72-day exclusive theatrical window.
"That's less a fight-'til-death issue with Imax," however, Gelfond told Business Insider in a recent interview (which you can read on Business Insider Prime). "We're OK with different flexibility on the window."
In fact, Gelfond believes as more studios, and the conglomerates that own them, become increasingly focused on their streaming platforms, the theatrical window will shrink.
"I think this is a line in the sand for the exhibitors, but my guess is the line in the sand will move towards the direction of shortening the window, especially for certain kind of content," he said. "Maybe not the blockbusters but smaller films."
Gelfond made it clear that as long as Imax is housed at a chain that wants the window respected, his company is "committed to complying." However, he added that he's "hoping to benefit from the streaming ecosystem" in 2020 and beyond.
That was his plan with the original release of Amazon's "The Aeronauts." Imax even went to the set of the movie to make sure it was made perfectly for its large-format screens. But when Amazon changed the movie's release plan to a two-week release, it also scrapped the Imax plan.
"I was disappointed," Gelfond said of not doing "The Aeronauts" release. "I thought it would look really great on Imax and be good for the whole run, even after when it became available on streaming."
Imax is also game to show non-feature length content, like this year screening Paul Thomas Anderson's Netflix short "Anima," the which featured music from Thom Yorke's new album.
"Since the exhibitors didn't have a problem with the windowing on that, we released it close to day and date with Netflix, and it was a good experience," Gelfond said. "We certainly would like to do more of that with the streaming services."
Gelfond believes going forward streaming can benefit from using Imax to generate buzz - whether it's for short films, screening live concerts, doing a marathon of its TV series, or movies. "We have a number of projects that we've been discussing with them," he said.
"I would like to figure out more and better ways to work with the steaming services," Gelfond continued. "It's a time of disruption, but I think it's one of the most exciting times to figure out different ways to please the consumer."
Read our entire interview with Gelfond on Business Insider Prime.
