Streaming platforms Amazon and Netflix push for earlier film releases, sparking cinema‑window debates

Amazon’s Prime Video is holding secret talks with French cinema regulators to shorten the mandatory 12‑month window before streaming films, offering a larger financial contribution. The platform, which currently must wait 17 months after theatrical release, may raise its annual French creation levy to up to €110 million, though its proposed cinema share would be only 7.5 % of revenue, below Disney+’s 14 % target. Industry groups warn this could reignite tensions over the media chronology rules.

Meanwhile, Netflix plans a high‑profile theatrical launch for Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of *The Magician’s Nephew* in the United States on 12 February 2027, with a 59‑day gap before the film appears on its streaming service. The deal, involving Sony Pictures for international distribution, marks a shift from Netflix’s usual direct‑to‑stream releases and could boost box‑office receipts for cinemas.

Both moves illustrate streaming services seeking to renegotiate release windows, a trend that could reshape revenue flows for the film industry in France, the United States, and beyond.