Netflix films to get cinema release before they debut online
- Three original films will have limited cinematic releases before streaming debut
- A Sandra Bullock thriller and films by Coen Brothers, Alfonso Cuaron involved
Netflix will debut three of its upcoming original films in a limited number of cinemas before they appear on the streaming service, the company said on Wednesday.
The move, involving Roma, Bird Box and The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, marks a change from the company’s practice of releasing films in cinemas and on Netflix on the same day.
Roma, a black-and-white, Spanish-language film about a housekeeper in Mexico, will start playing in cinemas in Los Angeles, New York and Mexico on November 21 and later expand to other cities and countries.
Directed by Oscar winner Alfonso Cuaron, Roma will debut on Netflix and in additional cinemas on December 14.
At the end of September, Netflix had 137 million subscribers to its movie and TV streaming service. It began stocking its library with original films just three years ago.