The Town with Matthew Belloni Sony Film CEO on Losing ‘Sinners’ and the Endless Big Tech Battle
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Feb 23, 2026 
Tom Rothman, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group and veteran studio executive, reflects on Hollywood’s current crisis as tech giants reshape the industry. He explains Sony’s streamer-free strategy and why theatrical windows still matter. He also discusses studio-streamer dynamics, the rise of K-pop Demon Hunters on Netflix, and decisions around owning film libraries.
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Fifth Major Crisis Is Big Tech Entry
- Hollywood is in a fifth major industry upheaval driven by hyperscale tech companies entering entertainment.
- Tom Rothman frames prior climacters as sound, end of studio system, TV/home entertainment, analog-to-digital, and now trillion-dollar tech entrants changing economics.
Windows Collapse Is The Real Threat
- The core disruption is changes to theatrical windows driven by tech platforms willing to forego short-term profit.
- Rothman argues protecting an exclusivity period in theaters is essential because streaming scale can condition audiences to wait for home release.
Commit To Making Dope Movies
- Make extremely high-quality, distinctive films because 'dope shit' still attracts audiences and differentiates studios from platforms.
- Rothman insists creative excellence and brand-building (e.g., Sinners) win theatrical attention despite scale competition.