James Cameron says Netflix isn’t eligible for Oscars race

James Cameron has stepped right into one of Hollywood’s biggest debates: the future of streaming in the awards race.

The filmmaker shared his unfiltered thoughts during a conversation on Matt Belloni’s The Town podcast, where he questioned Netflix’s approach to competing for Oscars and pushed back on the idea of the streamer taking over legacy studios.

Cameron said Netflix has produced plenty of films worthy of recognition, but he believes the platform has never followed a true theatrical run – a core requirement for awards prestige.

“The Oscars mean nothing to me if they don’t mean theatrical,” he said. “Netflix should be allowed to compete if they put the movie out for a meaningful release in 2,000 theaters for a month.”

Cameron also pushed back on speculation that Netflix could ever replace a major studio like Warner Bros. 

“That would be a disaster,” he said, adding that Paramount is a much more realistic contender instead.

Belloni asked him again why he thinks Netflix still doesn’t belong in the Oscar race, and Cameron doubled down: “They should be allowed to compete if they put the movie out for a meaningful release in 2,000 theatres for a month.”