Netflix pledges 45-day theatrical windows to ease Warner Bros. deal concerns

European Theater Chains Warn EU Regulators About Warner Bros Takeover Threats

Major European cinema operators warned European Union merger watchdogs this week that either Netflix Inc. or Paramount Skydance’s competing bid for Warner Bros. Discovery threatens to upend the movie theater industry, as regulators prepare to scrutinize one of the largest media deals in history.

A group representing some of Europe’s biggest theater chains—including Odeon’s AMC Entertainment Holdings, Kinepolis Group, and Cineworld Group—told EU officials in a closed-door meeting in Brussels that either takeover could stymie the release of blockbuster movies, according to Bloomberg. The meeting underscores growing anxiety across the European exhibition sector as both bidders escalate lobbying efforts with competition authorities.bloomberg

Industry Concerns Mount Over Studio Access

Theater operators have expressed alarm about potentially losing access to one of Hollywood’s most prolific studios. Warner Bros. accounted for 18.5% of theatrical releases in the UK and Ireland in 2025, including titles such as Superman, A Minecraft Movie, and The Conjuring: Last Rites, according to Comscore Movies data.ionanalytics

“The industry is nervous about losing a studio,” Tim Richards, CEO and founder of Vue, one of Europe’s largest cinema operators, said in an interview. Vue is currently in discussions with both the European Commission and the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority about the deal, including possible remedies.ionanalytics

UNIC, the European cinema trade body representing 43,500 screens across 39 territories, has voiced opposition to Netflix’s bid. “Movie theaters are opposed to any deal that would lead to a loss of a significant proportion of future titles,” Laura Houlgatte, UNIC’s chief executive officer, said in a statement. The organization previously warned that Netflix “has time and again made it clear that it doesn’t believe in cinemas and their business model”.unic-cinemas

Sarandos Commits to 45-Day Theatrical Windows

In what appears to be a direct response to industry concerns, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos committed on Friday to maintaining a 45-day theatrical window for Warner Bros. films if the deal closes. “We will run that business largely like it is today, with 45-day windows. I’m giving you a hard number,” Sarandos told The New York Times.ign

The commitment contradicts earlier reports suggesting Netflix sought a 17-day theatrical window that critics said would “steamroll the theatrical business”.reddit

Both Netflix and Paramount have separately met with European Commission officials this week to discuss their respective plans for Warner Bros. Discovery, with regulators reportedly expressing concerns over Netflix’s potential scale in Europe should its acquisition succeed.tvbeurope

Netflix announced its $82.7 billion enterprise value deal for Warner Bros. on December 5, 2025. Days later, Paramount Skydance launched a hostile all-cash offer valued at approximately $108 billion, which the WBD board has repeatedly rejected. Theater executives have noted that Paramount Skydance has pledged to release around 30 films annually in UK theaters if its bid succeeds.cnbc

Regulatory Guardrails Expected

Richards suggested EU and UK competition authorities will likely require protective measures. “The EU and UK competition authorities will most likely insist that certain guardrails be placed on the transaction,” he said, noting this could include minimum theatrical release windows of at least 45 days.ionanalytics

Phil Clapp, President of UNIC and Chief Executive of the UK Cinema Association, emphasized the stakes: “Regulators evaluating the planned acquisition of Warner Bros. by Netflix must take into account the potential risk any deal presents to every facet” of cinema’s role, warning that any reduction in content diversity “would have a profoundly damaging impact on Europe’s cultural landscape”.unic-cinemas