Christopher Nolan sent Netflix a written apology for his comments
'I said what I believe, but I was undiplomatic in the way I expressed it'
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Christopher Nolan has revealed that he wrote to Netflix's chief content officer Ted Sarandos to apologise for his fierce criticism of the service and the effect it has had on Hollywood.
"Netflix has a bizarre aversion to supporting theatrical films,” Nolan told Indiewire in July. "They have this mindless policy of everything having to be simultaneously streamed and released, which is obviously an untenable model for theatrical presentation. So they’re not even getting in the game, and I think they’re missing a huge opportunity.
"I think the investment that Netflix is putting into interesting filmmakers and interesting projects would be more admirable if it weren’t being used as some kind of bizarre leverage against shutting down theaters," he continued. "It’s so pointless. I don’t really get it."
Consequently, when Nolan was asked if he would ever work with Netflix on a film that a studio wasn't willing to back, he was succinct: "No.
"Well, why would you? If you make a theatrical film, it’s to be played in theaters."
Interviewed this week by Variety, Nolan said that he wished he had worded things differently, and went so far as writing Sarandos an apology.
"I should have been more polite," Nolan admitted. "I said what I believe, but I was undiplomatic in the way I expressed it. I wasn’t giving any context to the frankly revolutionary nature of what Netflix has done. It’s extraordinary. They need appropriate respect for that, which I have."
Read the full interview with Nolan here, and listen to our interview with Netflix's Sarandos on the future of film below.
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