Blockbuster doesn’t have “influence” – they are paying for the privilege. The signed away first lien rights to their Canadian assets if/when they go bankrupt to secure the 28 day window with a couple of the studios. It’s pretty much a last ditch effort to keep the company viable and they are coughing up whatever they can to buy the rights from the studios. If Netflix went to the studios and said “Hey, here’s a bunch of cash and stock in our company can we get the movies at the same time as Blockbuster?” The answer from the studios would be “Of course you can”.
