Tim Richards, CEO and founder of Vue Entertainment—Europe’s largest privately owned cinema chain has launched a sharp critique against a controversial deal between Imax and Netflix. The agreement grants Greta Gerwig’s upcoming Narnia adaptation an exclusive two-week run available only on Imax screens. Until now, complaints within the exhibition sector had been mostly private, but Richards’ letter, shared exclusively with Variety, marks the first public and formal pushback from a major industry leader.

In the letter, Richards warns that both audiences and the cinema sector stand to lose under this arrangement. He cites Imax CEO Richard Gelfond’s stated intention to pursue even more exclusivity deals as a troubling sign, arguing that such moves “risk undermining the very ecosystem that makes theatrical success possible.” He notes that Gerwig’s previous blockbuster, Barbie, which earned over $1.5 billion globally, thrived without Imax screens—evidence, he argues, that Imax is “no longer” the most technologically advanced PLF format. More background on Gerwig’s work can be found on the official Netflix newsroom.

The Narnia agreement follows an unusual “2 + 2” model—two weeks exclusively in Imax cinemas, followed by a two-week blackout before releasing on Netflix. As a result, the film will be inaccessible to 99% of global cinema screens unless exhibitors break long-standing release-window agreements. Richards claims Imax has threatened theaters willing to uphold these traditional windows with a so-called “nuclear option,” believed to be a legal mechanism designed to force compliance. This approach also blocks other premium formats, such as Dolby Cinema and Cinemark XD—formats that often outperform Imax from a revenue standpoint. Details on PLF standards are available via the Dolby Cinema site.

Richards further stresses that Imax, with less than 1% of the world’s screens, is far from essential to a film’s success. He highlights Gerwig’s own artistic preference for Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos—cinematic technologies she considers the ideal representation of her films. He points to advances from Dolby, Christie, and Barco in projection and high-dynamic-range imaging, as well as 64-channel Dolby Atmos sound, which remain industry benchmarks. While acknowledging Imax’s strong brand, he reiterates that it no longer leads in technology.

In closing, Richards calls for renewed collaboration between exhibitors and studios—partnerships he believes are essential for preserving the theatrical ecosystem. He argues that no single format should monopolize audience access, stating firmly that “the industry should never try to convince audiences that there is only one way to enjoy a great film.”