James Cameron slams Netflix's "fundamentally rotten" approach to theatrical releases: "The Academy Awards mean nothing if they don't mean theatrical"

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James Cameron slams Netflix's "fundamentally rotten" approach to theatrical releases: "The Academy Awards mean nothing if they don't mean theatrical" News By Bradley Russell published 25 November 2025

James Cameron is not a fan of Netflix's take on the theatrical experience

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Titanic and Avatar director James Cameron has long been an ardent supporter of the theatrical experience. So, it should come as no surprise that he's taking aim at Netflix's "fundamentally rotten" approach to doing the bare minimum for Oscars eligibility.

Speaking on The Ringer's podcast The Town with Matthew Belloni, Cameron began his attack on Netflix by saying the streamer's potential purchase of Warner Bros. would be a "disaster."

Cameron continued by lampooning Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos' cinematic strategy, "We'll put the movie out for a week, we'll put it out for 10 days; we'll qualify for Academy Awards consideration. See, I think that's fundamentally rotten at the core. The Academy Awards, to me, mean nothing if they don't mean theatrical."

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The Academy's extensive rules state that any eligible movie must be in theaters for "at least seven consecutive days in the same commercial motion picture theater, during which period screenings must occur at least three times daily."

In addition, films that "receive their first public exhibition or distribution in any manner other than as a theatrical motion picture release will not be eligible for Academy Awards in any category."

In recent years, Netflix has released its big, Oscar-adjacent movies (such as Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein and The Irishman) on limited theatrical runs so they could be deemed eligible for the Oscars.

To that end, Cameron has a workable solution: "They should be allowed to compete if they put the movie out for a meaningful release in 2000 theaters for a month."

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That won't be an issue for Cameron's next release, Avatar: Fire and Ash. The Pandora-set threequel, which sees the Na'vi coming face to face with the Ash People, will likely be one of 2025's highest-grossing movies – with both prior Avatar films grossing over $2 billion at the box office.

Avatar: Fire and Ash hits cinemas on December 19. For more, check out our guides to upcoming movies and movie release dates.

Bradley RussellSocial Links Navigation

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.

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