Netflix’s latest movie release, “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny,” will hit theaters Friday, but it won’t pack much of a punch at the U.S. box office.

That’s because the follow-up to the Oscar-winning martial arts epic will only play in about a dozen IMAX theaters around the country — a far cry from the original film, which was released in more than 2,000 theaters and became the most successful foreign language film.

The nation’s largest theater chains have balked at Netflix’s plans to release the movie in the home on the same day it appears in cinemas.

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Netflix views so-called day-and-date releases as the wave of the future, giving consumers what they want when they want it across platforms. But theater owners say collapsing traditional theatrical release windows undermines their business. A similar dispute erupted last year when Netflix announced simultaneous release plans for the critically acclaimed “Beasts of No Nation,” which opened in October and was deemed a box office flop.

The conflict has renewed long-standing tensions in Hollywood over when movies are released into the home. It also underscores the challenges Netflix confronts as it seeks to change the conventions of the film industry.

“It’s going to be very, very difficult for Netflix to get the major theater chains to carry its movies,” said FBR Capital Markets analyst Barton Crockett. “It’s really not going to make much money from playing these movies in movie theaters in the United States.”

Netflix’s rising Hollywood profile was on display recently at the recent Sundance Film Festival in Utah. The Los Gatos, Calif., company, along with rival Amazon.com, made a splash by paying more than $30 million to buy movie titles at the festival. Amazon also recently bought the rights to Woody Allen’s next film. The size of such deals and the star power associated with the movies put the industry on notice that streaming companies are serious about their film aspirations.


Original movies can bring cachet and prestige to their services, especially if they win awards, and provide another way to attract subscribers.

“It was kind of a no-brainer that the streaming services would try to exploit their movie ambitions this way,” said Michael Nathanson, a media analyst with Moffett Nathanson Research. “It all goes to branding. The more exclusivity you can offer, it helps build brand support.”

Netflix, which changed how consumers watch television, offers something powerful to filmmakers: a vast global audience with some 75 million subscribers. But most filmmakers still want their movies to be seen on the big screen, and Netflix has had strained relations with the nation’s largest theater chains. They bristle at the idea that the streaming giant is giving consumers more choices to watch movies.

1 / 153 A behind-the-scenes look at filming around the world for television and movies, as seen from the streets. (Clockwise from top left: Steve Sands / GC Images/Getty Images; Bobby Bank / GC Images/Getty Images; GWR/Star Max / GC Images/Getty Images; Stickman / Bauer-Griffin / GC Images/Getty Images) 2 / 153 Mariska Hargitay, who stars on “Law & Order: SVU” as Olivia Benson, directs an episode of the TV series on Dec. 15 in New York City. (Bobby Bank / GC Images/Getty Images) 3 / 153 Elle Fanning, left, and Naomi Watts are seen filming “Three Generations” on Nov. 19, 2014, in New York City. (Ignat/Bauer-Griffin / GC Images/Getty Images) 4 / 153 Rami Malek on the set of “Mr. Robot” on Nov. 7, 2014, in New York City. (Bobby Bank / GC Images/Getty Images) 5 / 153 Peter Sarsgaard, left, Uma Thurman, Brian Cox and Penn Badgley on the set of “The Slap” on Nov. 10, 2014, in New York City. (Bobby Bank / GC Images/Getty Images) 6 / 153 Penn Badgley and Uma Thurman on the set of “The Slap” on Nov. 10, 2014, in New York City. (Bobby Bank / GC Images/Getty Images) 7 / 153 Donnie Wahlberg and his stand-in on the set of “Blue Bloods” on Oct. 31, 2014, in New York City. (Bobby Bank / GC Images/Getty Images) 8 / 153 Hilary Duff and Thorbjorn Harr on the set of “Younger” on Oct. 29, 2014, in New York City. (Bobby Bank / GC Images/Getty Images) 9 / 153 Patricia Arquette on Oct. 22, 2014, in Los Angeles. (GONZALO/Bauer-Griffin / GC Images/Getty Images) 10 / 153 Zac Barnett of American Authors is seen on set for a video shoot on Oct. 26, 2014, in Dickson, Tenn. (Rick Diamond / Getty Images) 11 / 153 Extras acting in the HBO series “Game of Thrones” leave the bullring on Oct. 22, 2014, as film crews began shooting part of the fifth season in the southern Spanish city of Osuna. (CRISTINA QUICLER / AFP/Getty Images) 12 / 153 Indira Varma is on the set of “Game of Thrones” at Real Alcazar on Oct. 19, 2014, in Seville, Spain. (Europa Press / Europa Press via Getty Images) 13 / 153 Actors film “Game of Thrones” at Real Alcazar on Oct. 19, 2014, in Seville, Spain. (Europa Press / Europa Press via Getty Images) 14 / 153 Nikolaj Coster-Waldau is on the set of “Game of Thrones” at Real Alcazar on Oct. 19 in Seville, Spain. (Europa Press / Europa Press via Getty Images) 15 / 153 Actor Mark Wahlberg and Amanda Seyfried are seen on the set of “Ted 2" on Oct. 7, 2014, in New York City with Ted (the bear is voiced by Seth MacFarlane). (GWR/Star Max / GC Images/Getty Images) 16 / 153 Ted looks out the window on the set of “Ted 2" on Oct. 5, 2014, in New York City. (Bobby Bank / GC Images/Getty Images) 17 / 153 James Spader on the set of “The Blacklist” on Oct. 8, 2014, in New York City. (Bobby Bank / GC Images/Getty Images) 18 / 153 Vince Vaughn is seen on the set of “Unfinished Business” on Oct. 4, 2014, in Boston. (Stickman/Bauer-Griffin / GC Images/Getty Images) 19 / 153 Zac Efron is seen on the set of “We Are Your Friends” on Sept. 26, 2014, in Los Angeles. (TSM/Bauer-Griffin / GC Images/Getty Images) 20 / 153 Julianne Moore and Michael Shannon are seen filming “Freeheld” in the Queens borough of New York on Oct. 2, 2014. (Alessio Botticelli / GC Images/Getty Images) 21 / 153 Zac Efron and Max Joseph on the set of “We Are Your Friends” in Los Angeles. (TSM/Bauer-Griffin / GC Images/Getty Images) 22 / 153 Amanda Seyfried on the set of “Ted 2" in Boston. (Stickman/Bauer-Griffin / GC Images/Getty Images) 23 / 153 Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Lizzy Caplan on the set of “Christmas Eve Project” in Brooklyn, N.Y. (Bobby Bank / GC Images/Getty Images) 24 / 153 Actor Peter Vack and actress Lola Kirke for “Mozart in the Jungle” in New York City. (Raymond Hall / GC Images/Getty Images) 25 / 153 Zac Efron on the L.A. set of “We Are Your Friends.” (TSM/Bauer-Griffin / GC Images/Getty Images) 26 / 153 Rebecca Ferguson and Tom Cruise on the set of “Mission: Impossible 5" on the roof of the opera house in Vienna. (Kai Danneberg / GC Images/Getty Images) 27 / 153 Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway film “The Intern” on Aug. 26 in New York City. (Steve Sands / GC Images/Getty Images) 28 / 153 Steve Buscemi films on the last day of principal photography for “Boardwalk Empire” on Aug. 25 in the Far Rockaway section of New York City. (Steve Sands / GC Images/Getty Images) 29 / 153 Zac Efron is seen filming “We Are Your Friends” on Aug. 21, 2014, in Los Angeles. (TSM/Bauer-Griffin / GC Images/Getty Images) 30 / 153 Anthony Mackie, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Seth Rogen on the set of “Christmas Eve Project” on Aug. 18, 2014, in New York City. (Bobby Bank / GC Images/Getty Images) 31 / 153 Actor James Spader on the set of “The Blacklist” on Aug. 14, 2014, in Brooklyn, N.Y. (Bobby Bank / GC Images / Getty Images) 32 / 153 Ben Affleck walks along a Detroit sidewalk on the set of “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” on Aug. 9. (Paul Warner / GC Images/Getty Images) 33 / 153 Nicole Kidman, Christopher Walken and Jason Bateman are seen on the set of “The Family Fang” in Harriman Park, N.Y., on Aug. 14. (GWR/Star Max / GC Images/Getty Images) 34 / 153 James Franco is seen in character on set of “Michael” in Freeport, N.Y., on Aug. 14. (Alessio Botticelli / GC Images/Getty Images) 35 / 153 Sienna Miller on the set of “Adam Jones” in London’s Leicester Square. (Alex Huckle / GC Images / Getty Images) 36 / 153 Jonny Lee Miller on the set of the television series “Elementary” on Aug. 5 in New York City. (Bobby Bank / GC Images/Getty Images) 37 / 153 Uma Thurman on the “Adam Jones” set in London. (Neil P. Mockford /GC Images / Getty Images) 38 / 153 Nicole Kidman is seen at the filming of “The Family Fang” on Aug. 4 in New York City. (Ignat/Bauer-Griffin / GC Images/Getty Images) 39 / 153 Actor Jason Bateman on the set of “The Family Fang” in Rye, N.Y. (GWR/Star Max / GC Images/ Getty Images) 40 / 153 Amanda Seyfried on the “Ted 2" set in Boston. (Stickman/Bauer-Griffin / GC Images / Getty Images) 41 / 153 Helen Mirren filming ‘The Woman in Gold’ in Los Angeles. (TSM/Bauer-Griffin / GC Images/Getty Images) 42 / 153 Charlie Hunnam filming “Sons of Anarchy” in Los Angeles. (GONZALO/Bauer-Griffin / GC Images /Getty Images) 43 / 153 Actors Jason Orley, Zack Pearlman and Robert De Niro on the set of “The Intern” in Brooklyn, N.Y. (Bobby Bank / GC Images/Getty Images) 44 / 153 Actor Bobby Cannavale and director Martin Scorsese on the set of the “Untitled HBO/Rock N’ Roll Project” in New York City. (Bobby Bank / GC Images /Getty Images) 45 / 153 Robert De Niro’s stand-in and stunt double on the set of “The Intern” in Brooklyn, N.Y. (Bobby Bank / GC Images/Getty Images) 46 / 153 Katie Holmes and Ryan Reynolds filming “Woman in Gold” in Los Angeles. (TSM/Bauer-Griffin / GC Images/Getty Images) 47 / 153 Cameron Monaghan and Emmy Rossum on the set of “Shameless” in Los Angeles. (Bauer-Griffin / GC Images/Getty Images) 48 / 153 Alison Brie and Jason Sudeikis on the set of “Sleeping With Other People” in New York City. (Ignat/Bauer-Griffin / GC Images/Getty Images) 49 / 153 Anne Hathaway on the set of “The Intern” in New York City. (Bobby Bank / GC Images/Getty Images) 50 / 153 Matt Bomer and Laura Ramsey on the set of “White Collar” in New York City. (Raymond Hall / GC Images/Getty Images) 51 / 153 Judd Apatow and Amy Schumer on the set of “Trainwreck” in New York City. (Raymond Hall / GC Images/Getty Images) 52 / 153 Bill Hader and Amy Schumer on the set of “Trainwreck” in New York City. (Bobby Bank / GC Images/Getty Images) 53 / 153 Robert De Niro and Linda Lavin on the set of “The Intern” in New York City. (Bobby Bank / GC Images/Getty Images) 54 / 153 Christoph Waltz is on the set of “Tarzan” in London. (Radcliffe/Bauer-Griffin / GC Images/Getty Images) 55 / 153 Adam Scott on the set of “Sleeping With Other People” in New York City. (Bobby Bank / GC Images/Getty Images) 56 / 153 Patricia Clarkson, left, and Samantha Bee on the set of “Learning to Drive” in New York City. (Raymond Hall / GC Images/Getty Images) 57 / 153 Scott Cooper and Juno Temple on set of “Black Mass” in Boston. (Stickman/Bauer-Griffin / GC Images/Getty Images) 58 / 153 Benedict Cumberbatch on the set of “Black Mass” in Boston. (Stickman/Bauer-Griffin / GC Images/Getty Images) 59 / 153 Amy Schumer on the set of “Trainwreck” in New York City. (Bobby Bank / GC Images/Getty Images) 60 / 153 Josh Helman and Damon Herriman on the set of “Flesh and Bone” in New York City. (Bobby Bank / GC Images/Getty Images) 61 / 153 Taylor Lautner on the set of “Run the Tide” in Los Angeles. (TSM/Bauer-Griffin / GC Images/Getty Images) 62 / 153 Amanda Peet on the set of “Sleeping With Other People” in New York City. (Bobby Bank / GC Images/Getty Images) 63 / 153 Amanda Peet and Jason Sudeikis on the set of “Sleeping With Other People” in New York City. (Bobby Bank / GC Images/Getty Images) 64 / 153 Sophie Nelisse and Kathy Bates on the set of “The Great Gilly Hopkins” in New York City. (Alessio Botticelli / GC Images/Getty Images) 65 / 153 Actors Jason Sudeikis and Margarita Levieva on the set of “Sleeping With Other People” on June 9, 2014, in New York City. (Bobby Bank / GC Images/Getty Images) 66 / 153 Johnny Depp on set of “Black Mass” on June 9, 2014, in Boston. (Stickman/Bauer-Griffin / GC Images) 67 / 153 Bradley Cooper, center, with cast and crew on the set of “American Sniper” in Malibu on June 4. (Gonzalo/Bauer-Griffin / GC Images/Getty Images) 68 / 153 Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller film a wedding scene for “American Sniper” in Los Angeles. (Bauer-Griffin / GC Images/Getty Images) 69 / 153 Kevin Connolly, left, Kevin Dillon, Adrian Grenier and Jerry Ferrara film a scene for “Entourage” on June 2 in L.A. (Gonzalo/Bauer-Griffin / GC Images/Getty Images) 70 / 153 Vin Diesel, center, on the set of “Fast & Furious 7" on June 2 in L.A. (TSM/Bauer-Griffin / GC Images/Getty Images) 71 / 153 Saoirse Ronan and Emory Cohen on the set of “Brooklyn” in New York City. (Bobby Bank / GC Images/Getty Images) 72 / 153 Actor Ed Harris on the set of “The Adderall Diaries” on May 24, 2014, in New York City. (Michael Stewart / GC Images / Getty Images) 73 / 153 Elijah Wood filming “Wilfred” on May 23, 2014, in Los Angeles. (Gonzalo / Bauer-Griffin / GC Images / Getty Images) 74 / 153 Clint Eastwood and Sienna Miller on the set of “American Sniper” in Los Angeles. (GONZALO/Bauer-Griffin / GC Images/Getty Images) 75 / 153 Sylvester Stallone poses with his puppet as he takes part in the TV show “Le Grand Journal” at the Cannes Film Festival. (LOIC VENANCE / AFP/Getty Images) 76 / 153 Poppy Montgomery and Boris Kodjoe on the set of “Unforgettable” in New York City. (Alo Ceballos / GC Images/Getty Images) 77 / 153 Jemima Kirke on locationin New York City for HBO’s “Girls.” (Steve Sands/ GC Images/Getty Images) 78 / 153 Allison Williams, who plays Marnie Michaels, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, who is Desi, on the set of “Girls” in New York City. (Bobby Bank / GC Images/Getty Images) 79 / 153 Diane Kruger and Demian Bichir film a scene from the TV series “The Bridge” in Los Angeles. (Gonzalo/ Bauer-Griffin/ GC Images/Getty Images) 80 / 153 Lena Dunham filming “Girls” in New York City. (Steve Sands/ GC Images/Getty Images) 81 / 153 Kelsey Grammer filming “Breaking the Bank” in London. (Simon James/GC Images/ Getty Images) 82 / 153 Kiefer Sutherland on the set of “24" on March 9, 2014, in London. (Tom L. Phelan/FilmMagic/Getty Images) 83 / 153 Mary Lynn Rajskub on the set of “24" on March 9, 2014, in London. (Tom L. Phelan/FilmMagic/Getty Images) 84 / 153 Simon Pegg on the set of ‘Absolutely Anything’ on April 28, 2014, in London. (Neil P. Mockford /GC Images / Getty Images) 85 / 153 Actress Hailee Steinfeld with a fake pregnant belly and Asa Butterfield on the set of “Ten Thousand Saints” in Tompkins Square Park on May 1, 2014, in New York City. (Raymond Hall / GC Images / Getty Images) 86 / 153 Jamie Foxx filming “The Amazing Spider-Man 2" on April 21, 2013, in New York City. (Aby Baker/Getty Images) 87 / 153 Actor Andrew Garfield, center left, is seen on the set of “The Amazing Spider-Man 2" in New York City with his stunt double William Spencer, right, and a second stunt double. (Raymond Hall/ WireImage/Getty Images) 88 / 153 Actor Andrew Garfield, right, rehearses a scene with his stunt double William Spencer on the “The Amazing Spiderman 2" movie set in Madison Square Park in New York. (Ray Tamarra/Getty Images) 89 / 153 Actor Andrew Garfield, right, his stunt double William Spencer, center, and a second stunt double are seen on the set of “The Amazing Spider-Man 2" in New York City. (Raymond Hall/ WireImage/Getty Images) 90 / 153 Jamie Foxx filming on location for “The Amazing Spider-Man 2" on April 21, 2013, in New York City. (Bobby Bank/WireImage/Getty Images) 91 / 153 Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone filming “The Amazing Spider-Man 2" on location in New York City. (Aby Baker/Getty Images) 92 / 153 Jamie Foxx as Electro/Max Dillon in “The Amazing Spider-Man 2" on location in New York City. (Bobby Bank/WireImage/Getty Images) 93 / 153 Actor Andrew Garfield, right, his stunt double William Spencer, center, and a second stunt double are seen on the set of “The Amazing Spider-Man 2" in New York City. (Raymond Hall/WireImage/Getty Images) 94 / 153 Actor Paul Giamatti films a scene at the “The Amazing Spiderman 2" movie set in Madison Square Park on June 22, 2013, in New York City. (Ray Tamarra/Getty Images) 95 / 153 Actor Andrew Garfield is seen on the set of “The Amazing Spider-Man 2" in New York City. (Raymond Hall/WireImage/Getty Images) 96 / 153 Actor Paul Giamatti is seen on the set of “The Amazing Spider-Man 2" in New York City. (Raymond Hall/WireImage/Getty Images) 97 / 153 Actor Paul Giamatti on the set of “The Amazing Spiderman 2" in New York City’s Madison Square Park. (Ray Tamarra/Getty Images) 98 / 153 Jamie Foxx on location for “The Amazing Spider-Man 2" in New York City. (Bobby Bank/ WireImage/Getty Images) 99 / 153 Kyra Sedgwick on the set of “Time Out of Mind” in New York City. (Bobby Bank/GC Images/Getty Images) 100 / 153 Kate Beckinsale on the film set of “Absolutely Anything” in London. (Neil Mockford/Alex Huckle/GC Images/Getty Images) 101 / 153 Lena Dunham and Adam Driver film a scene for “Girls” on April 16, 2014, in New York City. (Alessio Botticelli/GC Images/Getty Images) 102 / 153 Sam Worthington filming “Cake” on location in Los Angeles. (PixplusBauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty Images) 103 / 153 Jennifer Aniston filming “Cake” on location in Los Angeles. (PixplusBauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty Images) 104 / 153 Tina Fey and husband Jeff Richmond on the set of “Tooken” on March 27, 2014, in New York City. (Steve Sands/GC Images/Getty Images) 105 / 153 Actress Katie Holmes is seen on the set of “Dangerous Liaisons"on April 3, 2014, in New York City. (Raymond Hall/GC Images/Getty Images) 106 / 153 Jena Malone on the set of “Time Out of Mind” on April 1, 2014, in New York City. (Bobby Bank/GC Images/Getty Images) 107 / 153 Julianne Moore and Kristen Stewart play mother and daughter filming on location for “Still Alice” on March 21, 2014, at Lido Beach, N.Y. (Steve Sands/Getty Images) 108 / 153 Richard Gere on the set of “Time Out Of Mind” on March 26, 2014, in New York City. (Bobby Bank/WireImages/Getty Images) 109 / 153 Jeremy Renner films an action scene in Aoasta, Italy, for “Avengers: Age of Ultron.”. (Photopix/Getty Images) 110 / 153 Elizabeth Olsen and Aaron Taylor-Johnson film on location in Pont-Saint-Martin in Aosta, Italy, for “Avengers: Age of Ultron.” (Photopix/Getty Images) 111 / 153 Actors are suited up for special effects on the set of “Avengers: Age of Ultron” in Aosta, Italy. (Photopix/Getty Images) 112 / 153 Richard Gere and Ben Vereen on the set of “Time Out Of Mind” on March 26, 2014, in New York City. (Bobby Bank/WireImage/Getty Images) 113 / 153 Actress Zoe Saldana on the “Rosemary’s Baby” set on the last day of shooting on March 27, 2014, in Paris. (Marc Piasecki/GC Images/Getty Images) 114 / 153 Julianne Moore and Alec Baldwin film “Still Alice” on New York’s Long Island. (Steve Sands/GC Images/Getty Images) 115 / 153 Peter Capaldi is up a tree during filming for the eighth season of BBC’s “Doctor Who” in Bute Park in Cardiff, Wales. (Matthew Horwood/GC Images/Getty Images) 116 / 153 Katherine Heigl films the NBC pilot of “State of Affairs” in New York City. (Steve Sands/GC Images/Getty Images) 117 / 153 A large monster is spotted during filming of the BBC series “Doctor Who” in Cardiff, Wales. (Matthew Horwood/GC Images/Getty Images) 118 / 153 Kate Walsh is ready for a scene in the TV movie “Bad Judge,” filming in Los Angeles. (PixplusBauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty Images) 119 / 153 Arnold Schwarzenegger performs on the set of “Despierta America” with Joe Manganiello at Univision Headquarters in Miami. (Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images) 120 / 153 Actresses Kristen Stewart and Julianne Moore on the set of “Stille Alice” on March 14, 2014, in New York City. (NCP Star Max/GC Images/Getty Images) 121 / 153 Julianne Moore and Alec Baldwin on the set of “Still Alice” on March 11, 2014, in New York City. (Raymond Hall/GC Images/Getty Images) 122 / 153 Carey Mulligan on the set of “Suffragette” on March 14, 2014, in London. (Alex Huckle/FilmMagic/Getty Images) 123 / 153 Donal Logue, left, and Ben McKenzie on the set of “Gotham” on March 20, 2014, in New York City. (Bobby Bank/WireImage/Getty Images) 124 / 153 Lea Michele on the set of “Glee” on March 13, 2014, in New York City. (Raymond Hall/GC Images/Getty Images) 125 / 153 Kevin McHale, left, Chord Overstreet, Chris Colfer and Darren Chris on the set of “Glee” at Washington Square Park on March 14, 2014, in New York City. (Bobby Bank/WireImage/Getty Images) 126 / 153 Lea Michele and Michael Lerner on the set of “Glee” on March 16, 2014, in New York City. (Bobby Bank/WireImage/Getty Images) 127 / 153 Actor Ian Ziering is seen on the set of “Sharknado 2" in New York City. (Patricia Schlein/Star Max/GC Images/Getty Images) 128 / 153 A shark’s head prop is carried onto the set of “Sharknado 2" in New York City. The prop assistant’s arm remained intact. (Patricia Schlein/Star Max/GC Images/Getty Images) 129 / 153 Liam Neeson films a scene for the TV series “Entourage” in Los Angeles. (Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty Images) 130 / 153 Jeremy Piven (Ari Gold), left, and Liam Neeson work together on a scene for the TV show “Entourage” in L.A. (Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty Images) 131 / 153 Ian Ziering and Vivica Fox on the set of “Sharknado 2" on Feb. 19, 2014, in New York City. (ESBP/Star Max/GC Images/Getty Images) 132 / 153 Mark Wahlberg and Jessica Lange filming “The Gambler” on location in Los Angeles. (GONZALO/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty Images) 133 / 153 Liev Schreiber films “Ray Donovan” on Feb. 03, 2014, in Los Angeles. (Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty Images) 134 / 153 Louie CK on the set of “Louie” on Jan. 31, 2014, in New York City. (Bobby Bank/WireImage/Getty Images) 135 / 153 Wil Estes and Vanessa Ray on the set of “Blue Bloods” on Jan. 31, 2014, in New York City. (Bobby Bank/WireImage/Getty Images) 136 / 153 Skyler Gisondo and Ben Stiller on the set of “Night at the Museum 3" on Feb. 6, 2014, in New York City. (Bobby Bank/WireImage/Getty Images) 137 / 153 Actors Ethan Hawke, Hailee Steinfeld, left, and Asa Butterfield on the set of “Ten Thousand Saints” on Jan. 27, 2014, in New York City. (Raymond Hall/FilmMagic/Getty Images) 138 / 153 Jon Hamm on the set of “Mad Men” on Jan. 14, 2014, in Los Angeles. (GONZALO/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty Images) 139 / 153 George Clooney, second from left, filming “Tomorrowland” at Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias on Jan. 21, 2014, in Valencia, Spain. (Europa Press/Europa Press via Getty Images) 140 / 153 Action from the set of TV series “24" on Jan. 22, 2014, in London. (Neil P. Mockford/FilmMagic/Getty Images) 141 / 153 Chris Evans and Alice Eve on the set of “1:30 Train” on Dec. 18, 2013, in New York City. (Alo Ceballos/FilmMagic/Getty IMages) 142 / 153 Bethany Joy Lenz, left, Rumer Willis and Robert Hoffman in Washington Square Park filming “Songbyrd” on Jan. 20, 2014, in New York City. (Alessio Botticelli/FilmMagic/Getty Images) 143 / 153 Kevin Bacon and Sprague Grayden on the set of “The Following” on Dec. 10, 2013, in New York City. (Bobby Bank/WireImage/Getty Images) 144 / 153 Jennifer Lopez on the set of “The Boy Next Door” in Los Angeles. (ChinchillaBauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty Images) 145 / 153 Mark Wahlberg is seen on set filming the movie ‘Transfomers 4: Age of Extinction’ on Sunday October 27,2013 in Hong Kong,China. (TPG/Getty Images) 146 / 153 Mark Wahlberg performs on the set of “Transformers: Age of Extinction” in Hong Kong on Oct. 26, 2013. (Aaron Tam/ AFP/Getty Images) 147 / 153 Scarlett Johansson filming a scene for her new movie, “Lucy” on Oct. 21, 2013, in Taipei, China. (TPG/Getty Images) 148 / 153 Director Clint Eastwood, right, and actor John Lloyd Young as Frankie Valli on the set of “Jersey Boys” in Kearny, N.J. (Bobby Bank/WireImage/Getty Images) 149 / 153 Actress Li Bingbing and actor Stanley Tucci filming “Transfomers 4: Age of Extinction” in Hong Kong. (ChinaFotoPresss via Getty Images) 150 / 153 Edie Falco, left, and Julie White on the set of “Nurse Jackie” in New York City. (Bobby Bank/WireImage/Getty Images) 151 / 153 Actor Mark Wahlberg on the set of “Transfomers 4: Age of Extinction” in Hong Kong. ( ChinaFotoPress via Getty Images) 152 / 153 Quvenzhane Wallis, right, is shown with her stand-in on the set of “Annie” in September in New York City. (Raymond Hall / FilmMagic/Getty Images) 153 / 153 Quvenzhane Wallis and Jamie Foxx are seen on the set of “Annie” in September in New York City. (Raymond Hall / FilmMagic/Getty Images)


“Netflix’s commitment to consumer choice only extends as far as it benefits Netflix,” said Patrick Corcoran, spokesman for the National Assn. of Theatre Owners.

Representatives of Netflix declined to comment.

Netflix executives have argued that making movies available in the home and theaters at the same time is simply a matter of giving consumers what they want in an on-demand world.

“When people hear about things in the Internet world, they expect to be able to have access to it right then,” Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos told The Times when it announced its movie ambitions in 2014.


Theater owners, however, have been fiercely protective of the traditional theatrical release window — the time between when a movie premieres in cinemas and when it is available for home viewing on DVD or video on demand. They argue that dismantling the current window (typically about 90 days) gives consumers less incentive to trek to the multiplex, thereby undermining their business.

In 2011, several major chains vowed not to screen the Ben Stiller-Eddie Murphy comedy “Tower Heist” after Universal Pictures planned to make the movie available at a premium price to consumers just three weeks after its launch in theaters.

Netflix found itself the target of the exhibition industry’s wrath in 2014 when it announced plans for a day-and-date release of the sequel to ‘Crouching Tiger’ in select Imax theaters.

“We will not participate in an experiment where you can see the same product on screens varying from three stories tall to 3 [inches] wide on a smart phone,” said a statement from Regal, the nation’s largest theater chain. “We believe the choice for enjoying a magnificent movie is clear.”


Other chains also refused to screen the film.

Locally, the only cinema showing the movie is an AMC multiplex in the San Gabriel Valley, which has a large Chinese community.

Corcoran said cinema owners had the right to refuse to screen movies released simultaneously in the home.

“They’re dedicating their screen time, and they want to maximize the audience they can get, and if a company is releasing a movie in which there isn’t a commitment to supporting the theater, theater owners are going to take that into account,” he said.


“Sword of Destiny’s” modest theatrical rollout stands in contrast to the original film in 2000 and directed by Ang Lee. “Crouching Tiger” drew record crowds in Los Angeles and New York and became an indie sensation, grossing more than $128 million domestically.

Ticket sales for the sequel, which has Michelle Yeoh and Donnie Yen reprising their roles, are expected to be well below that level.

But Sarandos contends that global streaming views and credibility for its original content are more important to its bottom line than ticket sales. He also expects the movie to do well globally.

Imax is releasing the film in 287 theaters in China, where the film opened last week with a modest $21 million over the weekend, according to industry consulting firm Artisan Gateway.


“It’s a fantastic piece of Chinese storytelling that will travel around the world in a way that Chinese movies don’t,” Sarandos told The Times last month. “It will be a global sensation the way China would like to see themselves in the media landscape.”

Netflix is not alone in its desire to be a player in the film business. Amazon has also been aggressively trying to broaden its programming beyond television. But Amazon is taking a different approach to distribution by making films available on the Amazon Prime streaming platform only after they’re released in theaters.

The Seattle e-commerce giant, known in the TV world for such series as “Transparent” and “Mozart in the Jungle,” recently partnered with Roadside Attractions to release Spike Lee’s “Chi-Raq” exclusively in 305 theaters in December before putting it up on its streaming service less than a month later.


At Sundance, Amazon acquired six film titles, including “Manchester by the Sea,” a family drama starring Casey Affleck that it purchased for $10 million — the second-largest deal at this year’s indie movie festival. And Amazon last week acquired the North American rights to Woody Allen’s upcoming but as-yet-untitled feature.

“I think it’s good for customers and good for filmmakers to have the movies get into theaters and have a robust theatrical run,” Amazon Studios’ chief Roy Price told the Times. “Obviously, [the big screen] is the best way to see a movie.... I think preserving the theatrical experience and the theatrical window makes sense for everybody and we support that — it’s an important part of our approach.”

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