Rian Johnson Responds to Netflix CEO's Take on Theaters Being "Outdated"

The ongoing tug-of-war between theatrical releases and streaming exclusives just got another spark, this time courtesy of Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos and Knives Out filmmaker Rian Johnson. At the Time100 Summit, Sarandos shared his candid thoughts on movie theaters, stirring the pot with a bold claim:“I realize that we're in a period of transition. Folks grew up thinking, 'I want to make movies on a gigantic screen and have strangers watch them and play in the theater for two months and people cry and sold-out shows.' It just doesn't happen very much anymore. It's an outdated concept.”That certainly sparked a debate online, and now Johnson, who currently prepping Knives Out 3, officially titled Wake Up Dead Man, was asked about Sarandos’ view during a Business Insider interview. While careful not to stoke the fire, Johnson made his perspective clear:“Obviously, I don't, because I love movies. I love going to see movies. But also, I have a feeling talking to Ted, it would be a different thing than one quote taken and kind of tossed at me in this context. “So I don't want to phrase this as I'm having a proxy discussion with Ted right here. I think we've seen if you put a movie people want to see in the theaters, they are going to show up for it, and that experience of being in a full house and having that experience is so important. It's something that I love and I want more of in the world.”Johnson’s passion for the theatrical experience is nothing new. Even as a filmmaker whose latest projects are backed by Netflix, arguably the face of the streaming revolution, he’s remained vocal about his desire to see his work on the big screen. He’s not alone as Daniel Craig, who returns as Benoit Blanc in the upcoming film, has openly said it “saddens” him that the Knives Out movies don’t get longer theatrical runs.“I want this in as many theaters for as long as possible,” Johnson added. “We're going to push for everything we can get in terms of theatrical because I want as many people as possible to see it in that form.”To be fair, Sarandos isn’t trying to cancel theaters altogether. He admitted that he enjoys going himself, but he’s leaning into the data, and the data tells him that more people are choosing their couches over cinema seats. From his perspective, Netflix is simply adapting to audience behavior and “saving Hollywood” by embracing what’s next.But is the theatrical experience really fading away? That’s still up for debate. Films like Sinners and A Minecraft Movie have raked in huge box office numbers in 2025, proving there’s still a solid appetite for the traditional big-screen experience, when the content hits the right notes.So, what does this mean for Wake Up Dead Man? Its predecessor, Glass Onion, had a one-week theatrical run and still managed to pull in $15 million, making it the widest theatrical release for a Netflix original. With the third film set to drop later this year, we’ll soon find out whether Johnson’s push for a longer theatrical window pays off.At the end of the day, it’s not just a battle of business models, it’s about how we want to experience stories. Streaming may be convenient, but for some filmmakers and movie lovers, nothing beats the glow of a projector and the hush of a crowded room.

May 8, 2025 - 22:07

Rian Johnson Responds to Netflix CEO's Take on Theaters Being "Outdated"

The ongoing tug-of-war between theatrical releases and streaming exclusives just got another spark, this time courtesy of Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos and Knives Out filmmaker Rian Johnson. At the Time100 Summit, Sarandos shared his candid thoughts on movie theaters, stirring the pot with a bold claim:

“I realize that we're in a period of transition. Folks grew up thinking, 'I want to make movies on a gigantic screen and have strangers watch them and play in the theater for two months and people cry and sold-out shows.' It just doesn't happen very much anymore. It's an outdated concept.”

That certainly sparked a debate online, and now Johnson, who currently prepping Knives Out 3, officially titled Wake Up Dead Man, was asked about Sarandos’ view during a Business Insider interview. While careful not to stoke the fire, Johnson made his perspective clear:

“Obviously, I don't, because I love movies. I love going to see movies. But also, I have a feeling talking to Ted, it would be a different thing than one quote taken and kind of tossed at me in this context.
“So I don't want to phrase this as I'm having a proxy discussion with Ted right here. I think we've seen if you put a movie people want to see in the theaters, they are going to show up for it, and that experience of being in a full house and having that experience is so important. It's something that I love and I want more of in the world.”

Johnson’s passion for the theatrical experience is nothing new. Even as a filmmaker whose latest projects are backed by Netflix, arguably the face of the streaming revolution, he’s remained vocal about his desire to see his work on the big screen.

He’s not alone as Daniel Craig, who returns as Benoit Blanc in the upcoming film, has openly said it “saddens” him that the Knives Out movies don’t get longer theatrical runs.

“I want this in as many theaters for as long as possible,” Johnson added. “We're going to push for everything we can get in terms of theatrical because I want as many people as possible to see it in that form.”

To be fair, Sarandos isn’t trying to cancel theaters altogether. He admitted that he enjoys going himself, but he’s leaning into the data, and the data tells him that more people are choosing their couches over cinema seats. From his perspective, Netflix is simply adapting to audience behavior and “saving Hollywood” by embracing what’s next.

But is the theatrical experience really fading away? That’s still up for debate. Films like Sinners and A Minecraft Movie have raked in huge box office numbers in 2025, proving there’s still a solid appetite for the traditional big-screen experience, when the content hits the right notes.

So, what does this mean for Wake Up Dead Man? Its predecessor, Glass Onion, had a one-week theatrical run and still managed to pull in $15 million, making it the widest theatrical release for a Netflix original.

With the third film set to drop later this year, we’ll soon find out whether Johnson’s push for a longer theatrical window pays off.

At the end of the day, it’s not just a battle of business models, it’s about how we want to experience stories. Streaming may be convenient, but for some filmmakers and movie lovers, nothing beats the glow of a projector and the hush of a crowded room.