Elizabeth Olsen will only sign on to films with a theatrical release

Elizabeth Olsen said she will only sign on to films that receive a theatrical release, a condition she outlined in an interview published Oct. 21 as she prepares to promote her new film Eternity. Olsen said she supports independent projects that ultimately sell to streaming platforms, but she does not want to make films intended only for at-home viewing and called the communal experience of theaters central to how she thinks movies should be seen.

"If a movie is made independently and only sells to a streamer, then fine. But I don't want to make something where that's the endall," Olsen said. She added that seeing a film with other people creates a shared energy similar to attending sporting events. "I think it's important for people to gather as a community, to see other humans, be together in a space," she said, noting that changes in behavior brought on by the COVID19 pandemic have made in-person collaboration and gathering less common.

Olsen, 36, said the theatrical requirement will inform the projects she accepts going forward. Her comments come as studios and filmmakers continue to navigate how and when to release films in theaters versus on streaming platforms. One...