Every year, Images Cinema in Williamstown screens the Christmas classic “Elf,” which is part of the Warner Bros. archive. But if Netflix’s deal to acquire Warner Bros. goes through, there’s a chance the local theater may no longer be able to show the film.

Netflix’s $82.7 billion deal to buy Warner Bros. studios, HBO and HBO Max was announced Dec. 5. It would give Netflix the entire Warner Bros. library of iconic films and shows, the studio's lot in Burbank, Calif., and the studio's games division, according to Variety.

Movie theaters and consumers could be affected with potentially shorter film releases and increased streaming prices. Although Images Cinema Executive Director Dan Hudson considers himself a pragmatic optimist, he is concerned about the potential effects on the industry.

“Overall, I’m very hesitant that it’s good news for movie theaters and everybody,” he said.

The news sent shockwaves through Hollywood, as it would be the loss of one of the five major studios: Disney, Universal, Warner Bros., Sony Pictures, Paramount. On Dec. 8, Paramount launched a hostile bid for Warner Bros. of $30 per share with a total enterprise value of $108.4 billion, according to Variety. Netflix’s deal is for $27.75 a share.

Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery have announced an $82.7 billion deal for Netflix to acquire Warner Bros. film and TV studios, HBO Max and HBO.

On Wednesday, Warner Bros. urged shareholders to reject Paramount’s bid, arguing that it created “significant risks and costs” for the company and that they are recommending sticking with Netflix, according to CBS News. The process is far from over, as Netflix previously said it expects the deal to take 12 to 18 months to go through.

Top industry players sent an open letter to Congress detailing the potential economic and institutional blowback if the deal went through, according to CNBC.

Cory Jacobson, owner of Phoenix Theatres Beacon Cinema in Pittsfield, said that Warner Bros. is an “extraordinarily important asset” and that everyone needs to let the situation play out. He also referenced the studio's strong infrastructure and its more than 100-year impact on the industry.

“No one wants to see that go away,” he said.

Hudson said that in recent years, there has been an increase in shorter in-theater releases for films and more straight-to-streaming movies. He said he is worried about the consolidation of companies and their effect on the product, most notably with Disney buying 21st Century Fox and Skydance acquiring Paramount.

Michael Leary, CEO of trade group Cinema United, said that the deal “poses an unprecedented threat to the global exhibition business” and it will hurt theaters “from the biggest circuits to one-screen independents in small towns in the United States and around the world,” according to Variety.

If Netflix were to acquire Warner Bros., shorter in-theater releases could be in line, as that’s historically been the platform's formula. Warner Bros. has deals to release its movies in cinemas through 2029, and the platform plans to honor that, according to Variety.

In a memo to its staff on Monday, Netflix’s co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters reiterated that the deal is about growth and that they plan to strengthen the iconic Hollywood studio and maintain the theatrical releases.

Images Cinema on Spring Street in Williamstown has begun work to renovate and upgrade the theaters. While the main theater is closed for renovations, programming continues in its lounge space with bartender hours and cinema lounge shows.

Some people are skeptical about the platform's intentions, as Sarandos has previously described the theatrical experience as “outdated” and Netflix has historically not extended theatrical releases for its films.

“I think, over time, the windows will evolve to be much more consumer-friendly, to be able to meet the audience where they are quicker,” Sarandos said, according to Variety.

Theatrical windows have decreased since the pandemic, as the average window has fallen from 70-90 days to 30-45 days, according to CNBC. Sarandos has said that the company, which has released 30 films in theaters this year, does not believe that long exclusive windows are “consumer-friendly,” which is why the company favors short releases.

When Netflix releases a film in cinemas, they don’t report the box office numbers publicly, and it's typically for the minimum requirement needed to qualify the film for awards contention, according to CNBC.

Hudson said that Images Cinema has shown Netflix movies, citing that the 2023 film “Maestro” — the Leonard Bernstein biopic that filmed scenes at Tanglewood — was a big hit. He said he is not concerned about the potential loss of a major studio, as most of the films that do best for the theater are independent films.

“Those are our bread and butter,” Hudson said, adding that multiplexes would otherwise suffer, like the North Adams Movieplex and Berkshire Mall Regal Cinema, which both closed.

The news comes as Warner Bros. is having a stellar run in 2025 with hits, “Sinners," “One Battle After Another,” “Weapons,” “Superman” and “A Minecraft Movie.” In September, Warner Bros. became the first studio to cross $4 billion in 2025, according to Forbes.

Cinema United said the deal “would risk removing 25 percent of the annual domestic box office,” putting smaller theater chains and independent cinemas at risk, according to CNBC.

Jacobson said he expects that creators would potentially not work with Netflix if it lessens the theatrical releases but acknowledged that it would be good for other studios. Although Jacobson said there are concerns for the creative community, there will be other options, and he is hoping for stability.

In Pittsfield, the Beacon Cinema continues to invest, recently spending $18,000 on a new sign and total renovations worth roughly $200,000 to $250,000 in October. Phoenix Theatres has owned and operated The Beacon Cinema since December 2018.

Phoenix Theatres, which owns nine theaters, announced on Dec. 10 that it will be opening a 10th location at Patriot Place adjacent to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. It’s a multimillion dollar investment that will bring the company to 10 theaters and 93 screens.

Despite the concerns regarding the Netflix-Warner Bros. deal, other local cinemas in Berkshire County also continue to invest. Images Cinema recently began construction on its Look Forward capital renovation campaign, which will split the 150-seat theater into a smaller 19-seat and larger 70-seat theater fit with new seats and audio and technical upgrades.

Images raised $2.5 million in two years to fund the project, and has about $100,000 more to go, Hudson said in November. Hudson said that the theater has had a good year and they are seeing year-over-year growth since reopening after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Triplex Cinema in Great Barrington also announced on Wednesday that it's reopening a newly renovated Theater 2 on Christmas Day, after two years of fundraising and a Cultural Facilities Fund matching grant from the Mass Cultural Council.

The Triplex Cinema in Great Barrington is reopening Theater 2 after renovations that include a new screen, sound system, seating and lighting.

Hudson said the possibility of Netflix combining its service with HBO Max would not be good for consumers and would lead to an increase in subscription prices.

USA Today said that since 2021, the average monthly cost for ad-free streaming services has jumped 54 percent, according to Forrester’s analysis. With the potential merger, streaming services' subscription prices will almost certainly go up.

Netflix has described the deal as pro-consumer, and that all of the Warner Bros. catalog would belong to them. That means classic films like “Casablanca” and “Citizen Kane” and iconic television shows “Friends” and “The Big Bang Theory” would be owned by Netflix.

With that, Netflix would control arguably the most iconic and valuable archive of entertainment in Hollywood and would be able to decide whether or not to share it with other services.

Despite the rising growth of streaming, Jacobson is not bothered by it and believes in the importance of the theatrical experience.

As Jacobson put it: People will always want to go out and enjoy a movie — in a theater.