Steven Spielberg poses an unlikely condition to work with Netflix

The filmmaker remains a fierce defender of the theatrical experience and does not intend to change his mind.

Steven Spielberg has never hidden his attachment to the big screen. But the director of Disclosure Day went even further during an interview with ITV News by explaining under what conditions he would one day agree to shoot a film for Netflix.

His response is surprising: he would only work with the platform if it returned… to its old model of DVD rental by mail!

“If we did it like that, I would be happy to work for Netflix and make a movie for Netflix, knowing that it would only be seen by millions of people on their screens at home.”he explains. Before recalling what matters most to him: “I am a filmmaker and I believe in great experiences in theaters, on 70mm.”

For Steven Spielberg, cinema is not just about a giant screen or superior image quality. What makes it strong is above all the collective experience. The filmmaker recalls that since the origins of the seventh art, spectators have gathered in the same place to share the same emotions together.

“Strangers come together and, whether they agree on everything else or not, they share the same reaction to the images that flash on the screen…“

The director also cites Jaws as the perfect example of this collective magic. He remembers the test screenings during which the spectators screamed at the same moment during the most striking scenes:

“You don’t find that when you watch a film alone at home. You can still scream, but it’s not as fun when you’re alone or with only a few people.“

This philosophy extends to the way he shows his films to the press. Asked about screenings held in theaters rather than via secure digital links, now commonplace in the industry, Spielberg was emphatic: “No, no, no. I would never let that happen.”

Disclosure Day is currently to be seen at the cinema.