‘Netflix My Ass’ Aftermath: Ted Sarandos Says Sony Chief Tom Rothman Called to Explain (Exclusive)

Sony Motion Picture Chairman Tom Rothman made waves by shouting “Netflix, my ass!” on stage at CinemaCon last week  — but he rang up Netflix Chief Content Office Ted Sarandos the very next day to smooth things over.

The Rothman comment was meant to reassure the convention of movie exhibitors that studio films can and should be enjoyed at the multiplex — not at home through streaming platforms like Netflix.

The Sony exec was hardly alone in making references to anxious conversations about theatrical release windows — and while Sarandos is aware of them, he’s too busy listening to his customers, he said.

After screening breathtaking footage from his upcoming war epic “Dunkirk,” director Christopher Nolan bluntly said that the only way to experience his film was “through theatrical distribution.”

The film that got Rothman excited, by the way, was Denis Villeneuve’s “Blade Runner 2049” — a massive-scale, effects-laden action show that studios have become dependent on as consumers increasingly seek out home-based entertainment through cable and streaming services.

While the company is planning a limited theatrical release after it begins to stream, Sarandos thinks most customers will have an at-home experience that’s comparable to the theater.