Not long ago, the path of a movie was fixed. First theatres, then television, and finally home viewing. Today, that path looks very different. As studios look toward 2026, many are quietly questioning whether theatres should still be the first stop for every film. OTT platforms have changed the rules, but they have also created new problems.
Big money is involved, and so is big uncertainty.
OTT deals look safe, until they don’t
A few years back, streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ were buying movies at record prices. Netflix paid huge amounts for films like Red Notice, starring Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot, and Ryan Reynolds, without worrying about box office returns.
In India, films such as Gehraiyaan with Deepika Padukone and Darlings produced by Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment went straight to OTT and found massive audiences.
But by 2024–25, platforms started slowing down. Budgets were cut, content teams were reduced, and fewer films were approved. Studios suddenly realized that OTT money is no longer guaranteed.
A film rejected by Netflix or Prime now has limited options, making producers nervous.
Theatres are now for “big moments”
Studios have started saving theatres for films that feel like events. Movies such as Avatar: The Way of Water, Oppenheimer, and Pathaan proved that audiences will still show up if the experience feels special.
In Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan and Ranbir Kapoor are examples of stars whose big films are still designed for the big screen. Directors like Christopher Nolan openly insist on theatrical releases, calling cinemas an essential part of filmmaking.
On the other hand, smaller dramas and experimental films are being quietly moved to OTT, even if they feature known actors.
The gap between theatre and OTT is shrinking fast
Earlier, a movie would take months to reach streaming platforms. Now, films like Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery played briefly in theatres before landing on Netflix within weeks.
Studios like Warner Bros. and Universal have openly experimented with shorter theatrical windows. If a film struggles at the box office, it is quickly pushed to streaming to limit losses.
This flexibility helps studios, but it also makes theatre owners unhappy and confuses audiences about where to watch new releases.
Actors are choosing comfort over tradition
Many actors no longer see OTT as a “lesser” option. Saif Ali Khan, Manoj Bajpayee, and Alia Bhatt have all openly supported streaming projects for the creative freedom they offer.
Hollywood stars like Leonardo DiCaprio and Adam Driver have worked with Netflix and Amazon-backed films, showing that OTT no longer hurts prestige.
By 2026, contracts are expected to include bonuses based on both box office numbers and streaming performance. This is a new and still risky system.
Nobody really knows what “success” means on OTT
Box office numbers are public. OTT numbers are not.
When Netflix says a movie is a “global hit,” studios often don’t know what that really means. Was it watched fully? Did people drop out after 20 minutes? How long did it trend?
This lack of clear data makes big OTT deals risky. A film may feel popular for a weekend and then vanish without a trace.
Producers are now asking platforms for more transparency, but companies like Netflix prefer to keep their data private.
Global reach sounds great, but competition is brutal
OTT platforms offer something theatres cannot: instant global release. Films like RRR gained international popularity largely because of streaming.
But global reach also means global competition. An Indian film now competes with Korean thrillers, European dramas, and Hollywood blockbusters on the same screen.
Standing out has become harder than ever.
The future is mixed, not fixed
Studios are no longer choosing between theatres and OTT. They are choosing per film.
A big franchise film may go theatrical first. A character-driven drama may go straight to streaming. Some films may do both.
By 2026, most studios—from Yash Raj Films to Disney—will follow flexible strategies instead of fixed rules. The old system is gone, and the new one is still being tested.
One thing is clear: theatres and OTT will continue to exist together. The balance between them will keep shifting, but storytelling will always find its audience—on a big screen or a small one.
