Rumor: Netflix was considering buying cinemas

Streaming service Netflix has considered buying cinemas in order to show its films on a big screen. It would have been interested in an American cinema chain, but that deal has fallen through.

Netflix would find the price for the cinema chain Landmark too high, writes the Los Angeles Times. With a cinema chain, Netflix would like to make itself more attractive to filmmakers and organizations that hand out film awards. In this way, filmmakers would be assured that their productions would also be shown on the big screen in addition to a release on Netflix.

Despite Netflix considering buying movie theater chains, LA Times and Variety both claim the streaming service is not in negotiations with Landmark. It is unknown whether Netflix will acquire another cinema chain at a later date.

Netflix has been working on many cinema films in recent years to make and keep its streaming service attractive. The company finds the system to first release a film in theaters and release it much later for home viewers is old-fashioned. Netflix declined to comment on the rumor.