Netflix is looking for world domination The streaming movie and TV company upset many when it was recently announced that they were partnering with IMAX and The WeinStein Company to exclusively distribute the upcoming movie “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Green Legend”. The announcement effectively cuts large movie chains, who are already struggling with lower numbers in recent years as consumers choose to stream videos at home rather than go to the theater.

Regal, Cinemark and AMC Theaters are all refusing to screen the film as a result of the announcement. This is the first time that an eagerly anticipated movie will be distributed in this format and it may put a wedge between the film industry and the theater industry in the future.

It shouldn’t be a surprising move, however. Netflix is consistently growing with over 50 million users as of the current time. The wide outreach makes it much easier for the film industry to connect with movie fans across the globe. With the price of going to a movie in a traditional theater increasing over the past few years, it makes sense for the film industry to look at new avenues. Though the decision may not be a popular one, it is probably the most sensible one for many reasons.

What remains to be seen is whether or not this partnership between Weinstein, IMAX and Netflix will be successful and if it is, will it pave the road for future releases of the same format?

The future of film is up in the air and if the trend continues, the traditional theater experience may be something of the past.