According to Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, people prefer watching movies at home!
Hollywood has changed much over the last decade in ways few could have predicted. Where once theaters were the centerpiece of the movie-watching experience, the rapid rise of streaming options has transformed viewer choice. In an interview with Variety, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos summed things up succinctly, and timely: audiences are speaking loudly. Their preference, he said, is to watch movies at home.
Specifically, Sarandos points to the declining box office as a clear signal. It’s not just about marketing misfires or weak scripts, he says-it’s a reflection of changed consumer preference. “What is the consumer trying to tell us?” he asks. “That they’d like to watch movies at home, thank you.”
That candid admission has triggered discussions throughout Hollywood, re-igniting the discussion on what place theaters will have in a predominantly digital age.
The 45-Day Theatrical Window: Tradition vs. Reality
Another hotly debated topic he outlined was the 45-day theatrical window-the long-standing rule that keeps new releases exclusive to cinemas before they reach home platforms.
He argues this window is “completely out of step with the consumer experience,” especially as viewers have grown used to instant access. Streaming platforms have normalized the expectation of convenience—watch what you want, when you want, without leaving the couch.
And Sarandos isn’t alone. Many analysts agree while cinema releases still matter, audience habits have fundamentally changed. The pandemic accelerated this shift, but it didn’t create it-the demand for flexible, at-home entertainment has been growing for years.
Why Viewers Prefer Home Streaming Now More Than Ever
The home-viewing trend isn’t just about laziness or convenience. It reflects several factors:
Cost Efficiency: Having a movie night with your family at home is much cheaper than going to the cinema, buying snacks, and traveling.
- Comfort & Control: Pause, rewind, choose your snacks, no crowds, no noise-a tailored experience.
- Variety of Content: The streaming services give access to films from various genres and regions instantly.
Put simply, home entertainment is now a premium experience that’s hard to beat.
But is cinema really dying?
Even with the digital shift, cinemas retain cultural and emotional clout. The big-screen spectacle, shared reactions, and the cinema atmosphere can’t be replicated perfectly at home. Major franchises and event films still draw audiences in-proof that while the realm of cinema may not be dead, it is most definitely evolving.
The greater challenge for theaters and studios now is:
Coexistence, Not Competition Sarandos’ comments do not suggest theaters will disappear but rather that the industry needs to evolve. The probable direction includes hybrid models, fluid release methods, and an acknowledgment that consumer choice, not tradition, will define the future of entertainment. As studios and cinemas continue to debate windows and exclusivity, one fact remains: Audiences have already chosen, and this home-viewing trend is here to stay.
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