Mubi’s ties to Israel cost the streamer 200,000 subscribers

The response to Mubi’s ties to Sequoia presented the company with a tough choice. By the end of 2025, the company hoped to hit 2 million subscribers by adding 600,000 users; it finished the year with 1.2 million, which is fewer than when it started, costing the company roughly $7.3 million on $200 million of revenue, WSJ reports. The subscribers and revenue losses spurred possible layoffs. However, a dozen or so of the company’s 400 employees, many of whom were outraged by the Israeli defense investments, took a buyout. 

However, despite the controversy, Mubi is showing signs of life. Coming off the box office disappointment of Die, My Love, which Mubi paid $20 million to acquire, the company’s track record with international hits buoyed them. Four of the five Best International Film nominees at this year’s Oscars were distributed by Mubi, including the winner, Sentimental Value. Those helped bounce Mubi’s numbers back up. Now with 1.7 million subscribers, the streamer is closer than ever to its 2 million subscriber goal.