In an interview earlier this year, Christopher Nolan made his opinions about Netflix known, calling their strategy of simultaneous streaming and theatrical film releases “mindless.†The director also refused to work with the streaming giant because of it. He still feels how he feels, but he’s now sorry for how he said it. Nolan tells Variety that he emailed Netflix’s chief content officer Ted Sarandos an apology for being rude. “I should have been more polite. I said what I believe, but I was undiplomatic in the way I expressed it,†he says. “I wasn’t giving any context to the frankly revolutionary nature of what Netflix has done. It’s extraordinary. They need appropriate respect for that, which I have.â€
Nolan does not, however, find anything revolutionary about Hollywood’s ongoing talks to start releasing films on VOD shortly after they hit theaters, calling the idea both unoriginal and unsustainable. “My entire adult life they have released straight-to-video films. As a filmmaker, when I was starting out in the ’90s, your nightmare was the straight-to-video release,†he says. “There’s nothing new about it — what’s different and new about it is selling it to Wall Street as innovation or disruption.†He continues: “The idea that the film business should forget that and just throw everything together at the same time makes no sense. It’s not good business, and people will realize that eventually.†So, like he said: Take that, Netflix!