Christopher Nolan says he would never work with Netflix, calls its release policy 'mindless' and harmful to theatrical cinema

Christopher Nolan says he would never work with Netflix, calls its release policy 'mindless' and harmful to theatrical cinema

Christopher Nolan’s long-standing resistance to working with Netflix has resurfaced once again, reigniting debate around the future of theatrical cinema versus streaming-first releases. The discussion traces back to a 2017 interview, where the filmmaker made his position clear in characteristically blunt terms.

“Why would you?” Nolan had said when asked about collaborating with Netflix. “Netflix has a bizarre aversion to supporting theatrical films. They have this mindless policy of everything having to be simultaneously streamed and released.”

For Nolan, the issue has never been about technology or platforms alone. It is about what cinema is meant to be. He has consistently argued that films are designed to be experienced collectively, on the biggest screen possible, with sound and visuals calibrated for immersion rather than convenience. In his view, the theatrical window is not an outdated tradition but the backbone of the film industry’s creative and economic ecosystem.

Nolan’s criticism targets Netflix’s release model, which prioritises same-day streaming over exclusive theatrical runs. He believes this approach weakens cinemas and, by extension, limits the kinds of ambitious, large-scale films that studios are willing to back. “Theatrical exhibition is what has sustained the film business for a hundred years,” he has said in various interviews, stressing that removing that foundation risks turning cinema into disposable content.

The filmmaker’s stance became even more pronounced in 2020, when Warner Bros. announced that its entire 2021 slate would debut simultaneously in theatres and on HBO Max. Nolan, who had long collaborated with the studio, publicly expressed disappointment and later parted ways, moving to Universal Pictures for Oppenheimer. That film’s massive global success, driven largely by its theatrical run, strengthened his argument that audiences still value the cinema experience when given a compelling reason.

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Netflix, on the other hand, maintains that its model expands access and creative freedom, especially for filmmakers whose projects might not fit traditional studio economics. Yet Nolan remains unconvinced. To him, streaming-first releases change not just distribution, but the very language of filmmaking.

What this really means is that Nolan’s refusal to work with Netflix is not personal or ideological posturing. It is a philosophical line in the sand. As the industry continues to balance cinemas and streaming platforms, Nolan stands as one of the loudest voices insisting that the future of film should not abandon the big screen that built it.