"The Irishman" will be given an exclusive theatrical release for about four weeks starting on November 1st by Netflix, to play Martin Scorsese's big-budget crime epic before it lands on the streaming service on Nov. 27th.
According to AP, the release plans for one of Netflix's most expensive films yet had been subject of much conjecture ever since the steaming service greenlit Scorsese's film. The director is one of the most ardent proponents of cinema preservation, but Scorsese earlier revealed that he signed up with Netflix without any condition of a theatrical release.
"The Irishman" star-studded cast — including Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci — will appear decades younger in some scenes, thanks to extensive de-aging visual effects which cost Netflix $160 million to make. Earlier, it was disclosed that the film's lengthy runtime on its website: 210 minutes.
Despite that theater owners had lobbied Netflix to give "The Irishman" a traditional, wide release, the major theater chains, including AMC and Cinemark, have refused to play movies that don't adhere to the standard 90-day exclusivity window. Netflix, accordingly, has said the film will be released in select theaters.
Netflix has reportedly began, last fall, releasing certain titles in theaters first, beginning with Alfonso Cuaron's "Roma," the Coen brothers' "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs" and the Sandra Bullock thriller "Bird Box." This fall, they will expand that strategy to more films and, in some cases, elongate theatrical runs to about four weeks.
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences earlier this year contemplated a new rule stipulating a four-week exclusive run in theaters before ultimately deciding not to amend their rules for next year's Oscars. On its way to several Academy Award wins, "Roma" played solely in theaters for just over three weeks.
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