Overview

• Netflix will release Richard Osman’s The Thursday Murder Club in just over 30 UK cinemas from August 22 after a public campaign secured a theatrical window.
• Cinema operators have voiced disappointment at the ‘paltry’ screen count, warning most fans will be unable to see the film on the big screen.
• Phil Clapp, chief executive of the UK Cinema Association, said the selective rollout risks undermining cinemas’ post-pandemic recovery and disappointing audiences.
• Netflix co-chief Ted Sarandos has defended the strategy by calling traditional theatrical runs an “outdated concept” compared with home viewing.
• The limited run stands in stark contrast to Apple TV’s F1: The Movie, which opened on about 700 UK screens and grossed £7 million in its first weekend.