Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos dispelled rumors that he would shorten theatrical release times after the streaming giant acquires Warner Bros.

The entertainment exec said as much during an interview with The New York Times published Friday.

“When this deal closes, we will own a theatrical distribution engine that is phenomenal and produces billions of dollars of theatrical revenue that we don’t want to put at risk. We will run that business largely like it is today, with 45-day windows,” Sarandos told the outlet.

“I’m giving you a hard number. If we’re going to be in the theatrical business, and we are, we’re competitive people — we want to win. I want to win opening weekend. I want to win box office,” he added.

Sarandos went on to say that “a lot of assumptions” that Netflix execs had about Warner Bros. weren’t true.

“The general economics of the theatrical business were more positive than we had seen and we had modeled for ourselves. It’s a healthy, profitable business for them. We weren’t in that business not because we hated it. We weren’t in that business because our business was doing so well.”

Netflix’s anticipated acquisition of Warner Bros., which would include its film and television studios, HBO Max, and HBO, is valued at $82.7 billion. Industry insiders and fans have pushed back on the merger, saying it could deal a huge blow to movie theaters. Rumors started circulating that Netflix planned to shorten theatrical release times from 45 days to just 17 days, similar to what Universal does for some of its releases.

Sarandos told NYT that he anticipated this type of response. “I think [the backlash] was a lot of loud voices, but not necessarily a lot of them,” the Netflix CEO said. “I think a lot of it was folks who questioned, rightfully so, our intent with theatrical because we hadn’t said anything about it. A lot of it was the emotions around that more than anything else.”

During the same interview, Sarandos addressed comments he made in 2025 about theaters being “outmoded” for people outside of large cities.

“You have to listen to that quote again. I said ‘outmoded for some.’ I mean, like the town that ‘Sinners’ is supposed to be set in does not have a movie theater there,” he said. “For those folks, it’s certainly outmoded. You’re not going to get in the car and go to the next town to go see a movie. But my daughter lives in Manhattan. She could walk to six multiplexes, and she’s in the theaters twice a week. Not outmoded for her at all.”

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that acquiring Greenland is “essential” to U.S. national security and that an impending “fight for the arctic” is real.

During an appearance Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” host Kristen Welker asked Bessent if President Trump was simply using Greenland as a negotiating tactic or if he is truly intent on “annexing” the territory.

“President Trump strongly believes that we cannot outsource our security because … let me tell you what will happen. And it might not be next year, might not be in five years, but down the road, this fight for the Arctic is real,” Bessent began.

The secretary noted that if there were an attack on Greenland, the U.S. would be dragged in anyway due to “NATO guarantees.”

“Make it part of the United States, and there will not be a conflict,” he said. “Because the United States right now, we are the hottest country in the world; we are the strongest country in the world. Europeans project weakness; U.S. projects strength.”

After Welker noted that Denmark says “Greenland is not for sale,” Bessent responded that “for over a century, American presidents have wanted to acquire Greenland, and what we can see is that Greenland is essential to the U.S. national security.”

“We’re building the Golden Dome, the missile system. President Trump is looking — is being strategic. He’s looking beyond this year. He’s looking beyond next year to what could happen for a battle in the Arctic,” Bessent added. “We are not going to outsource our national security. We are not going to outsource our hemispheric security to other countries.”

🚨 JUST IN: Sec. Scott Bessent says the weak Europeans MUST hand over Greenland to President Trump

“The fight for the arctic IS REAL! [Make] it part of the US, and there won’t be conflict!”

“Europe projects WEAKNESS. The US projects STRENGTH!” 🔥🔥🔥pic.twitter.com/ObLneRRJTI

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 18, 2026

The secretary then reminded Welker that during Trump’s first term, he warned Europe against building the second Nord Stream pipeline and continuing to rely on Russian oil, and “guess what is funding Russia’s efforts against Ukraine? European purchases of Russian oil.”

President trump has been continuing to ratchet up the pressure on Europe in his pursuit of Greenland.

On Saturday, he vowed to implement 10% tariffs on eight European nations until Denmark allows a sale, which Trump said is vital for the sake of “world peace.”

In a lengthy Truth Social post, Trump said, starting February 1, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland will be charged a 10% tariff “on any and all goods sent to the United States of America.”

The tariff, he said, will spike to 25% by June 1, and will remain in place until “a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland.”

Amanda Prestigiacomo contributed to this piece.