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It may take a little more than three weeks, but these 23 days could mark a seismic change in Hollywood. On Wednesday, Netflix announced that it will unveil its three biggest contenders for the trophy this year …Alfonso Cuarón Roma; Joel and Ethan Coen anthology, Buster Scruggs's ballad; and Susanne Bier Bird Box, featuring Sandra Bullock… in movie theaters weeks before their launch on the global streaming service. (Roma will receive the three-week window, which will debut November 21 in New York, Los Angeles and Mexico, while the two Scruggs and Bird box will be tilting in theaters one week before their debut, Nov. 8 and Dec. 13, respectively, on the streaming service.)
It's hard to exaggerate how drastic this change is for Netflix, which until now was resolutely true to its strategy of the day and the date, which places the new movies on its platform at the same time. time that their release in theaters, if they have one. This initiative aims to appease the filmmakers of the company, especially Cuarón, who has been asking for a significant release for several months before the start of its broadcast streaming; it is also an effort to connect with the cinema consumer who wants to see a prestigious movie on the big screen before being able to watch it on a smartphone. Perhaps most importantly, it is a sign to the Academy of Arts and Film Science that Netflix really values the awards and responds to the voters who insisted that the streaming service must offer Meaningful theatrical exhibitions if he wants to be taken into account Oscar d'Or. After all, it was some of the same members of the Academy who felt that the removal of exclusive theatrical openings by Netflix was the downfall of their business.
"These upcoming commitments are a continuation of the success of our theatrical and Netflix versions of Private life and 22nd of July" Scott Stuber, head of the Netflix film group, said in a statement. "Our members and filmmakers are Netflix's top priority, and we are constantly innovating to serve them."
But is it enough?
Netflix has long been a disruptive industry – diverting employees from more traditional studios; offer rich paid offers to renowned talents to attract television networks; and stating that the subscriber comes first. Why, continues the logic of society, show his films elsewhere?
But Netflix also has Oscars in his eyes and ambitious filmmakers, who are both factors in his new strategy. Although filmmakers were able to get the money out of the company they wanted, some have left big marketing investments or detailed information about the performance of their films on the service. One leader said that the platform had a reputation for being a place where "movies will die". More importantly, the company was not able to prove to its filmmakers that it could bring them to the Dolby scene.
Netflix's first attempt to recognize an Oscar was Cary Fukunaga & # 39; s Childish-soldier drama of 2015, Beasts of any nation, which has been completely closed. (The film was one of the few to receive a traditional Netflix theatrical release, which lasted only two weeks in 31 theaters, yielding a paltry $ 51,003 for the opening weekend and gross total of $ 90,777.) Sundance acquisition Muddy, from the director Dee Rees, Awarded four Oscar nominations, including an adapted screenplay, a cinematography and an actress in a supporting role. Mary J. Blige. However, he was unable to enter the race for the best screenplay, an evolution partly due to the Academy's bias against the company's business model.
Netflix obviously does not want this to happen again, especially with the Roma, perhaps the best-reviewed film of the society's short history. The black and white memory of the Gravity The director has already toured the biggest film festivals and the industry's prognosticers have him in the neck with the box office success of Warner Bros. A star is born in the race for the best image of this year.
Netflix has been working hard since the summer to play his hot hand. According to a source familiar with his projects, the banner began to meet the major Mexican film channels to strengthen the theatrical support for the film in the native country of Cuarón. Despite meetings with Cinepolis and Cinemex, efforts were unsuccessful due to the streamer's refusal to respect a 90-day exclusivity window. Roma will now play in three independent theaters in the country and could expand as Netflix continues its discussions.
The company also hired a veteran reward strategist Lisa Taback and his team of whisperers at the Oscars to promote Netflix's slate to the voting community. Former Head of Distribution Warner Bros., Dan Fellman, also came on board as a consultant to usher in theatrical support in the United States. To date, only the Landmark and iPic channels, as well as the IFC center in New York, have agreed to play Roma All three channels have already played Netflix movies while they were simultaneously available on the service.
"The issue of broadcasting high-quality movies in cinemas is not a movie problem, but rather streaming, it's an economic model problem," he said. John Fithian, the president of the National Association of Theater Owners. "The film industry would like to play Netflix's best films in a traditional model using theatrical films. Our exhibitors play Amazon titles that way. There is no reason why they could not play Netflix titles that way too. "
As an alternative to the resistance of movie theaters, Netflix said it would also rent cinemas across the country, especially those equipped with the latest Dolby sound and video technology. At the end of RomaThe series, which will continue after its debut on the service, will be available in more than 20 territories worldwide and in 200 to 300 theaters, including those in Los Angeles, New York and Mexico. a 70-millimeter film presentation, the company said. (This number of theaters is more important than most art house movies receive from traditional specialty distributors.)
This can make Cuarón happy. But it remains to be seen whether voters will consider this theatrical advance of just three weeks as a sign of a real commitment to the big screen or simply a naked attempt to win favors.
"There are hard-nosed people who will never accept anything other than a traditional theatrical window," said one voter, who declined to be identified. "But there are also the more modern members of the Academy who are looking for the right combination [between theatrical and streaming]and Netflix has to find something.
And while the Roma this release is a radical departure for Netflix, it is not a traditional theatrical release. The company will spend all the money needed to rent a part of the movie theaters for a limited time, and the streamer will not wonder if it will report its numbers at the box office on weekends.
For many in the Academy, this is not enough yet. "They have a big competitor with Roma and they have to do it right, "said another member of the Academy. "For me, it's a problem. I want to see Roma desperately, but it's better to have a real theatrical commitment, not trivial, otherwise I will not support it. The other films will have my vote before their movie. "
Although voters seem destined to spend the next few months engaged in such a debate, we will all have an answer on Oscars Sunday.
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