As reported recently by Slashfilm, Netflix is considering buying some movie theaters. Their presumed motivation is to allow Netflix original movies to be eligible for awards season honors.
At first when I read this, I was ambivalent. As much as I love movies (Infinity War this weekend!!!), I don’t care about awards. Plus, why would I watch Netflix in the theater when I could watch it at home?
But Slashfilm opened my eyes to the possibilities. Imagine a Netflix theater in your area. It’s owned by Netflix, so they can show any Netflix content in the theater at any time. Maybe it’s a new movie, a few episodes of the new season of Stranger Things, or maybe it’s a marathon of The Office.
Okay, even then, why not watch it at home instead of with a bunch of strangers? Because admission is free as part of your Netflix membership! You get to go out without paying anything extra (except maybe some delicious popcorn).
While Netflix will probably only do this with a few select theaters (if at all), I think the concept has some exciting potential. Sign me up for a Kimmy Schmidt Season 4 marathon when one opens in St. Louis.
Would you watch Netflix in a theater?
Can I holler “PAUSE” when I need a refill and/or need to pee or just stretch my legs?
I think that’s fair game. 🙂 And yes, I think they’d look the same on the big screen.
Also, would shows look the same in big-screen format? I’d totally go binge watch Marco Polo in a theater.
I love watching movies in theaters, but I worry about the freeloaders that use someone elses netflix… Well, maybe not just the freeloaders but household couples that use one netflix account. It makes me wonder if netflix will allow friends and family on that single account; they pretty much allow it on their streaming service.
That’s a really interesting point–I’m curious how Netflix would work with families who share a plan.