The founder and CEO of Vue Entertainment, the largest privately owned cinema operator in Europe, has written a public letter attacking the controversial deal Imax signed with Netflix giving Greta Gerwig’s upcoming “Narnia” an exclusive two-week theatrical run on its screens.
While the deal, first announced in January, led to reports of significant discontent from within the exhibition industry, the letter from Tim Richards — shared exclusively with Variety — marks the first time it’s been expressed formally.
In the letter, Richards asserts that both audiences and the industry itself will “lose” out from the deal and warns that Imax CEO Richard Gelfond’s claims that he’s looking to secure further exclusivity arrangements will be even more damaging.
“It risks undermining the very ecosystem that makes theatrical success possible,” he said, noting that Gerwig’s “Barbie” managed to achieve its phenomenal box office success without a release on Imax (which he also claimed was “no longer” the most technically advanced Premium Large Format).
Richards also referenced the “nuclear option,” raised by Gelfond to ensure his Narnia deal remained in place. This is understood to be a way of legally enforcing theaters to show “Narnia” on their Imax screens.
“The industry should never try to convince audiences that there is only one way to enjoy a great film,” he concluded.
See the full letter from Tim Richards below:
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IMAX is proudly promoting its deal to screen The Chronicles of Narnia, Greta Gerwig’s highly anticipated first feature film since Barbie, despite it being a Netflix production released under an unusual “2 + 2” model, just two weeks in IMAX theatres, followed by two dark weeks before being released to Netflix subscribers at home.
As a result, Narnia will not be watched by audiences on 99% of cinema screens worldwide. It will only play on IMAX screens owned by operators willing to break established theatrical release windows. Those who choose to respect the established theatrical release window, have been threatened by IMAX with a “nuclear option” if they do not play it.
The outcome? IMAX and Netflix may enjoy a short-term gain, but the industry and audiences around the world — will lose. Millions of families who would love to watch Narnia at a theatre, will be needlessly deprived of the opportunity.
All other premium large formats (PLFs), including Dolby Cinemas, Cinemark’s XD screens and others, that consistently out-gross IMAX screens, will also be unable to show Narnia.
IMAX has not only agreed to this restrictive model but appears to be encouraging other filmmakers to follow suit. In doing so, it risks undermining the very ecosystem that makes theatrical success possible.
IMAX is one of many PLF options available to audiences globally. With less than 1% of screens worldwide, it is not singularly critical to the launch or success of any film — as proven by Barbie, which was not released in IMAX, yet went on to gross $1.5 billion and play theatrically around the world for several months. As Greta Gerwig stated “In my heart of hearts, I want audiences to see my movie in Dolby Vision with an [Dolby] Atmos mix because, to me, that’s the way I’ve most felt like….Ah! That’s my movie!“
Projection and sound technologies have evolved dramatically in recent years. Dolby, Christie, and Barco’s new HDR projectors all deliver market leading images, while Dolby Atmos, with its 64-channel immersive sound, remains the industry benchmark and filmmakers’ first choice for audio.
IMAX offers a strong product, but they are no longer the technological leaders they once were, and they represent a minority of the PLF box office market share globally. The industry can, and should, coexist by working collaboratively with our true partners, the studios, and by focusing on what matters most: delivering the very best experience for our customers. The industry should never try to convince audiences that there is only one way to enjoy a great film.
Tim Richards
Founder & CEO of Vue Entertainment and former Chair of the British Film Institute
From Variety US