While Netflix has thousands of movies available to stream, its original content has focused on TV series, comedy specials and documentaries. A couple of recent high-profile deals, however, are set to change all that. Netflix recently acquired exclusive worldwide rights to four upcoming movies produced by and starring Adam Sandler. While Sandler’s recent films haven’t won over many critics’ hearts, they’ve almost all been worldwide box office smashes. For those with more sophisticated tastes, Netflix also reached a deal with The Weinstein Company to produce a sequel to “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” which is set to hit Netflix and IMAX theaters on the same day next August. Not everyone is happy about these deals, though, and theater chains like Regal, AMC and Cinemark, are all refusing to screen the film. As movie theaters struggle to find ways to keep their seats full, companies like Netflix continue to up-end the status quo. The big winner in all of this is us, as we now have more ways to watch new movies than ever before.
About Shelly Palmer
Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with AI strategy, implementation and governance, as well as technology, media and marketing. Named one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices in Technology, he is a bestselling author, covers tech and business for Fox 5’s Good Day New York, is a regular commentator on CNN, and writes the popular daily business blog Think About This. Follow @shellypalmer or visit shellypalmer.com.