• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

2

Indeed chief economist says we’re entering an era of ‘great mismatch’ thanks to a generational imbalance of workers

3

Microsoft reports are exposing AI's real cost problem: Using the tech is more expensive than paying human employees

1

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year

2

Indeed chief economist says we’re entering an era of ‘great mismatch’ thanks to a generational imbalance of workers

3

Microsoft reports are exposing AI's real cost problem: Using the tech is more expensive than paying human employees
TechWorld's Most Admired Companies

How Amazon Plans to Crush Netflix in Movie Theaters

By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
April 15, 2016, 11:29 AM ET
Amazon.com Illustrations Ahead Of Earnings Figures
The Amazon.com Inc. Prime logo is displayed on computer screens for a photograph in Tiskilwa, Illinois, U.S., on Wednesday, April 23, 2014. Amazon.com Inc. is scheduled to release earnings figures on April 24. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesPhotograph by Daniel Acker—Bloomberg via Getty Images

The fight for control over streaming consumption is coming to a movie theater near you.

Speaking at CinemaCon 2016 on Thursday, Amazon Studios marketing and distribution chief Bob Berney said that all of his company’s “films will be released theatrically.” He added that Amazon (AMZN) will partner with movie theaters and deliver “an aggressive marketing campaign to bring audiences to your theaters,” according to The Wrap, a site that tracks the film industry.

Amazon, which operates a popular streaming-video service, has been gobbling up content at a rapid clip in recent months. In February, Amazon Studios acquired the North American rights to Woody Allen’s next film, an as-yet titled romantic comedy set in the 1930s, for a reported $20 million. Amazon Studios chief Roy Price previously said that the company has high hopes for movies and eventually plans to release 16 movies per year. According to The Wrap, Amazon Studios acquired six films from the Sundance Film Festival this year, including the new Kenneth Lonergan film Manchester By the Sea.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

Amazon Studios is best known for its successful television series, including Mozart in the Jungle, Transparent, and others. However, in a bid to compete with Netflix, its chief competitor in the streaming business, the company ostensibly believes that it can gain an advantage in films, where Netflix (NFLX) hasn’t tended to be the most popular of buyers.

In October, Netflix made some enemies among movie theater chains, including AMC, after the company released its first major feature film Beats of No Nation. While Netflix agreed to offer the movie in theaters, it also released the film on the same day to its streaming service customers. Last year, in a response to Netflix’s move, major movie theater chains, including AMC and Cinemark, wouldn’t show the film, which stars Idris Elba, due to the way the company was planning to release its movie.

Traditionally, theaters are given 90 days between the premiere date and when a film is released on DVD, on-demand, or other channels. That gives theaters enough time to attract audiences and make some cash on popular films before they hit consumer homes. By offering its movie to streamers on the same day Netflix delivered it to a decidedly small number of theaters, the company flipped those unofficial rules on their head.

“Netflix is not serious about a theatrical release,” Patrick Corcoran, vice president of the National Association of Theatre Owners, told Wired in an interview last year. “There isn’t a real commitment.”

For more about streaming, watch:

Seemingly seeing an opportunity, Amazon appears to be trying to allay fears at CinemaCon, the biggest annual event for the motion picture industry, and the one where many of the top people in the industry attend, that it won’t be another Netflix.

Adding to what Berney said, Price said at CinemaCon that “theatrical runs position a movie as a real movie in customers’ eyes,” according to The Wrap. He reportedly added that Amazon Studios’ goals are “aligned” with those of movie theaters.

While that sounds like Amazon might follow its past moves, there’s no guarantee. Things can change quickly in the streaming business, and as theaters know all too well, they’re competing against those streaming alternatives. So, while Amazon might want to play nice, it’s still a potential threat.

Neither Netflix nor Amazon Studios immediately responded to a request for comment.

About the Author
By Don Reisinger
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

w
Environmentclimate change
The asphalt industry has a heat problem — and cities are running out of patience
By Aya Diab, Alexa St. John and The Associated PressMay 23, 2026
5 hours ago
SpaceX’s third-generation Starship, which NASA may use to put astronauts on the moon, makes debut in test flight ahead of blockbuster IPO
InnovationSpaceX
SpaceX’s third-generation Starship, which NASA may use to put astronauts on the moon, makes debut in test flight ahead of blockbuster IPO
By Marcia Dunn and The Associated PressMay 23, 2026
6 hours ago
Is a college degree still worth it? Here are 3 things it can teach you that AI can’t do
Future of WorkColleges and Universities
Is a college degree still worth it? Here are 3 things it can teach you that AI can’t do
By Jake AngeloMay 23, 2026
7 hours ago
Ashley Yetman
Commentarydisruption
Everyone is blaming AI for the death of ‘craft.’ Take a good look in the mirror
By Ashley YetmanMay 23, 2026
9 hours ago
Josh Smith, founder of Montana Knife Company.
SuccessEntrepreneurs
This 39-year-old quit his lineman job during the pandemic and built a $50 million company in his backyard
By Nick LichtenbergMay 23, 2026
9 hours ago
Jon McNeill
SuccessCareers
Former Tesla president shares the secret to success he learned from his former boss, Elon Musk: ‘He demands to only work with world-class talent’
By Preston ForeMay 23, 2026
11 hours ago

Most Popular

Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
Success
Jeff Bezos wants the bottom half of earners to pay zero income tax—he says nurses making just $75K should save $12K a year
By Preston ForeMay 21, 2026
2 days ago
Indeed chief economist says we’re entering an era of ‘great mismatch’ thanks to a generational imbalance of workers
Success
Indeed chief economist says we’re entering an era of ‘great mismatch’ thanks to a generational imbalance of workers
By Emma BurleighMay 22, 2026
1 day ago
Microsoft reports are exposing AI's real cost problem: Using the tech is more expensive than paying human employees
AI
Microsoft reports are exposing AI's real cost problem: Using the tech is more expensive than paying human employees
By Jake AngeloMay 22, 2026
1 day ago
Apple’s Steve Wozniak says he cofounded the tech giant after 5 rejections from HP—not to ‘make money.’ For years, his paycheck was just $50
Success
Apple’s Steve Wozniak says he cofounded the tech giant after 5 rejections from HP—not to ‘make money.’ For years, his paycheck was just $50
By Preston ForeMay 22, 2026
1 day ago
Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
Workplace Culture
Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
By Preston ForeMay 19, 2026
4 days ago
Current price of oil as of May 22, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 22, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 22, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.