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Amazon MGM Studios begins its theatrical commitment in 2026, and Netflix should keep an eye on it as a possible path forward for Warner Bros.
Posted in: Amazon MGM Studios, Movies, Netflix, Warner Bros | Tagged: Amazon MGM Studios, netflix, Warner Bros
Why Amazon MGM's Big Bet May Point the Way to Netflix/WBD's Future
Amazon MGM Studios begins its theatrical commitment in 2026, and Netflix should keep an eye on it as a possible path forward for Warner Bros.
Article Summary
- Netflix’s acquisition of Warner Bros. signals a major shift in the film industry’s streaming-theatrical balance.
- Amazon MGM Studios is launching a renewed commitment to theatrical releases starting in 2026 with big titles.
- Success or failure of Amazon MGM’s 2026 theatrical plan could shape Netflix’s future movie release strategies.
- Industry watchers are eyeing CinemaCon for clues on how Netflix and Warner Bros. will handle theatrical releases.
Yesterday, it became official; one of the oldest movie studios, Warner Bros., has officially been acquired by the first streaming service, Netflix. In many ways, people were not surprised. Warner Bros. has changed hands so many times in the last decade that if each leadership change didn't come with layoffs, it would be funny. There are a lot of big feelings from every part of the industry right now, but getting an idea of what Netflix could do in the future might be as easy as looking to 2026.
When Amazon acquired MGM in 2022, the conversation surrounding that move was very similar to the one we had yesterday. Everyone was sure that a studio approaching its centennial had just been bought by the company that symbolized everything wrong in the world. People were sure this was the end for the studio, and we had seen the last of any MGM film in theaters.
Then things began to move in what is now known as Amazon MGM Studios. It wasn't immediate, because things rarely are, but in May 2025, Amazon MGM Studios took to the stage at South by Southwest and confirmed their commitment to the theatrical model. The number they gave was 12-14 movies a year, but obviously, that isn't something we were going to see in 2025, so the first year of Amazon MGM's commitment begins in 2026, and they are doing so with some big films. They kicked down the doors at CinemaCon last year with a massive late-night presentation that no one was expecting, with a ton of footage and projects announced and confirmed.
If Netflix is looking for a model that could emulate Warner Bros., something the industry should keep an eye on is how Amazon MGM does at the box office in 2026. If it works, there is a good chance they have found the sweet spot that confirms theatrical releases for a nice chunk of films while also acknowledging that not every movie can make it to the theaters. No one has ever said there weren't movies that were better off on streaming; it's dismissing the theatrical experience entirely.
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- Outside views of the Warner Brothers Studios Buildings on September 13, 2015. Editorial credit: Oscity / Shutterstock.com
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- Sep 20, 2019 San Francisco / CA / USA – AMC IMAX logo above the entrance and box office in downtown San Francisco. Editorial credit: Sundry Photography / Shutterstock.com
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- LOS ANGELES, April 8th 2025: Netflix logo close up outside Netflix studios Hollywood building on Vine Street. Editorial credit: Alex Millauer / Shutterstock.com
CinemaCon is in April, and whether or not Netflix and Warner Bros. show up is going to be a really telling sign for the studios' relationship with exhibition. Meanwhile, we'll also see if the Amazon MGM Studios commitment works out and not so subtly point out to Ted that you can acquire a decades-old studio and remain mostly true to its original intent.
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