NYC's Paris Theater May Be Revived By Netflix, Report Says

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — New York's historic Paris Theater shut down in August following a 71-year run, but it may have an unexpected savior in streaming giant Netflix, according to reports.

Netflix rented out the Paris for a one-month run of its new drama "Marriage Story," and executives hinted that Netflix is looking into a revival of the venue during a Sunday screening, entertainment publication The Wrap first reported.

"We were able to reopen the Paris Theater for this run of 'Marriage Story,' something we’d like to make a little more permanent — we’re working on it," Netflix executive Ted Sarandos said, as reported by The Wrap.

Netflix may seem like a strange choice to revive the Paris Theater — streaming services are often blamed for driving down theater attendance — but recent studies show they may be a good fit. Research firm Screen Engine/ASI found that people who watch thirteen or more films on online streaming services in a 12-month span also watch the most movies in theaters, Variety first reported.

In its heyday, the Paris Theater was a favorite for movie premiers. The theater's West 58th Street and Fifth Avenue location made it a neighbor to glamorous New York City institutions such as the Plaza and Bergdorf Goodmans.

The Paris Theater was most recently owned and operated by City Cinemas, which runs a number of independent theaters in the city. City Cinemas suddenly closed its East 86th Street theater in May. Billionaire developer Sheldon Solow owns the Paris Theater's East 58th Street property.

Noah Baumbach's "Marriage Story" opened at the Paris Theater on Nov. 6 for a limited run before it hits the streaming platform Dec. 6. The film stars Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson, Laura Dern and Alan Alda.

Read the full The Wrap article here.