Netflix boss says "we want to win" in the theatrical business, so the 45-day windows will remain after Warner Bros. sale goes through

Warner Bros will continue to have a 45-day theatrical window once the Netflix sale goes through, according to the streamer's co-CEO Ted Sarandos. Since the $82.7bn deal was made public, moviegoers have been worried about the survival of the cinema experience for Warner titles, which include the DC Universe, the Lord of the Rings franchise, and Harry Potter.

Sarandos has now confirmed that there's nothing to be worried about. "I understand that folks are emotional about it because they love it and they don’t want it to go away. And they think that we've been doing things to make it go away. We haven't," he told The New York Times.

"When this deal closes, we will own a theatrical distribution engine that is phenomenal and produces billions of dollars of theatrical revenue that we don't want to put at risk. We will run that business largely like it is today, with 45-day windows. I'm giving you a hard number. If we're going to be in the theatrical business, and we are, we're competitive people – we want to win. I want to win opening weekend. I want to win box office," he added.

In early December, Netflix announced the acquisition of Warner Bros. for $82.7 billion ($72 billion equity) on a per share price of $27.75, shaking the foundations of Hollywood. Despite an attempt by Paramount to thwart the deal, it seems like the sale is going through, changing the landscape of the industry forever.

The news came as Warner Bros. closed an impressive year at the box office, packed with big-screen hits including blockbusters like Superman and A Minecraft Movie and surprise horror hits Sinners and Weapons. Between the four movies, the studio made around $2 billion at the global box office.

While we wait to see what Netflix plans really are, you can fill out your watchlist with our guide to the upcoming movies in 2026 and beyond.