Bong Joon Ho believes Cinematic Experience is here to stay despite Netflix-Warner Bros. concerns

During a nearly two-hour discussion at the Marrakech Film Festival, where he serves as this years jury president, Bong Joon Ho reflected on his career, his upbringing in South Korea, and his approach to filmmaking. The conversation included clips from his notable films, such as Memories of Murder, The Host, and the Academy Award-winning Parasite. Bong spoke about breaking traditional genre boundaries and the importance of social commentary in cinema.

However, the audience eventually raised a pressing issue regarding the future of movie theaters in light of recent industry developments. A participant referenced news of Netflixs upcoming acquisition of Warner Bros., expressing concern that the traditional cinematic experience might be threatened, especially as Bong has previously collaborated with both companiesNetflix for 2017s Okja and Warner Bros. for this years Mickey 17 starring Robert Pattinson.

The question asked, What do you think about this acquisition, and how do you see your films being experienced both at home on large screens and in theaters? What is your vision for the future of cinema?

Bong responded with humor, acknowledging his distance from Hollywood: I dont really know whats happening in L.A.; Im just a South Korean guy staying at home, drawing laughter from the audience. He shared that during the festival, he and the jury enjoyed watching two films daily in the large theater setting. Streaming is a good way to enjoy movies, he said, but I dont think the cinematic experience will disappear so easily.

The announcement of Netflixs $82.7 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. and HBO Max has raised widespread debate in Hollywood. CEO Ted Sarandos, known for his preference for streaming over theaters, assured that Warner Bros. films would still see theatrical releases and that HBO would largely maintain its current operations, though theatrical windows are expected to shorten to align with consumer preferences.

Sarandos noted that Netflix has released 30 films in theaters in 2025, albeit in limited runs primarily to qualify for awards. He has previously described traditional theater viewing as outdated, citing declining global box office numbers as evidence of audience preference for home viewing.

Despite these concerns, Netflix has preserved historic theaters such as Los Angeles Bay Theater and New Yorks Paris Theater, emphasizing that the goal was to maintain the theatrical experience rather than the theater business itself.

Author: Ethan Caldwell