Netflix’s rules are made to be broken. The streamer has changed its mind plenty of times over the years, on issues like ad-supported streaming, live sports, and allowing users to share their accounts. Netflix’s next major pivot appears to be its stance on theatrical releases, and new reporting indicates the streamer is considering taking that philosophy shift a major step further by purchasing IMAX.

With IMAX apparently up for sale, analyst chatter about who could purchase the theater chain is heating up. The usual suspects are included in the discussions, such as existing theater chains AMC and Cinemark, as well as private equity firms.

But Netflix is a name that continues to be brought up as a possibility in discussions over who will land IMAX. The streamer’s executives have long resisted overtures from theater chain representatives to screen more of its films in their cinemas. But recent moves indicate Netflix could be changing its tune on theatrical releases.

If Netflix were to purchase IMAX, would that mean that IMAX screens will be forever closed to other studios? Wedbush analyst Alicia Reese thinks not. She told The Hollywood Reporter that even if Netflix did purchase IMAX, its movie release calendar is so slim that it would have to continue allowing other studios to screen movies in IMAX.

Netflix will certainly have competition if it makes a serious pursuit of IMAX. Analysts are predicting that other major media companies like Apple, Disney, NBCUniversal, Sony, and others could be in the mix to buy the exhibitor, so a bidding war isn’t out of the question. But Netflix isn’t afraid to make a splashy purchase, as its earnest attempt to buy Warner Bros. Discovery earlier this year proves.

IMAX has grown closer to Netflix in recent months, as the streamer has chosen to send a couple of high-profile premieres to the big screen in “Narnia: The Magician's Nephew” and “The Adventures of Cliff Booth.” Both of those films will debut in IMAX first, before streaming on Netflix at a later date.

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Netflix is a leading subscription-based video streaming service that offers on-demand access to an extensive library of over 3,000 movies, 2,000+ TV shows, and a growing collection of acclaimed Netflix originals. Renowned for producing groundbreaking content, Netflix has become a cultural powerhouse with hit originals like “Stranger Things,” “Wednesday,” “Squid Game,” “The Crown,” “Tiger King,” “Bridgerton,” “The Witcher,” and “Black Mirror.”

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The platform constantly updates its catalog, introducing fresh content alongside timeless classics and international hits. Netflix’s commitment to storytelling has also earned critical acclaim, with award-winning exclusives such as “Roma,” “Marriage Story,” “The Power of the Dog,” “Mank,” and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” In 2023, their animated film “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” won an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, further solidifying Netflix’s reputation for high-quality content.

Recently, Netflix has expanded beyond standard movies and TV titles with the addition of video podcasts, and is also exploring a digital store that would offer third-party streamers within the app.

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