Cliff Booth Won't Play on Regal or Cinemark IMAX Screens
Regal and Cinemark have declined to show Netflix's Cliff Booth on their IMAX screens, leaving AMC as the main IMAX venue for the Brad Pitt film's November 25 release.
Netflix's David Fincher film The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth, starring Brad Pitt, will not play on the IMAX screens of two of the largest US theater chains when it opens on November 25. Regal and Cinemark have declined the booking, according to IndieWire, Deadline and Variety, which reported the decision. The film will instead run on AMC's IMAX screens, with a two-week exclusive IMAX window before its December 23 release on Netflix.
Why the chains are opting out
The film's shortened window to streaming is the main reason cited by the exhibitors. Regal and Cinemark would have had to give up some IMAX screens they had planned to use for Lionsgate's The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, which opens on November 20 and is expected to hold a majority of cinemas over the holiday period.
Regal's SVP of US Content, Brooks LeBoeuf, said in a statement to IndieWire that the chain's premium screens are allocated partly based on the commitment distributors show to theatrical release. "Shortened theatrical windows have a direct impact on those decisions," he said, adding that Regal would continue to back releases that respect theatrical exclusivity, including The Hunger Games.
Normally IMAX decides which titles play on its screens. In this case, IMAX came on as a partner late in the process and allowed theater chains to opt out, according to IndieWire.
Screen count and reach
AMC has about 200 IMAX screens in the US, the largest share, while Regal has roughly 100 and Cinemark around 20. Including AMC's screens and several smaller circuits and independent cinemas, the film is expected to play on about 500 to 550 screens worldwide, depending on the report.
Other chains have also passed on Netflix's films. Variety noted that some smaller circuits will reportedly not book the film either. Deadline pointed to a past episode in which AMC declined to show KPop Demon Hunters Singalong in August 2025, while Regal and Cinemark did book it.
Netflix's wider theatrical strategy
Netflix has been testing longer theatrical windows for several titles. Deadline reported that Narnia: The Magician's Nephew, directed by Greta Gerwig, is set for a February release with about 50 days before streaming, and that the film was moved there to secure a longer run and clearer IMAX window. Variety also listed The Mosquito Bowl, Ray Gunn and Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory among upcoming Netflix theatrical releases.
Deadline reported that the 27-day gap between the Cliff Booth theatrical run and its streaming debut is shorter than the windows given to some earlier Netflix releases. Variety reported that Netflix published grosses for the first time for the French-language film La Bola Negra, which earned over $277,000 from four theaters.
What comes next
The film opens on November 25 with AMC as the main IMAX venue, while Regal and Cinemark are expected to hold The Hunger Games for a second weekend. Netflix has not publicly commented on the decision in the reports reviewed. Whether the limited IMAX footprint affects the film's box office will become clearer after its opening weekend.
Note: Deadline reported that the film's budget is $200 million; this figure has not been confirmed by Netflix.
