This announcement comes after months of negotiation, with several major theater chains demanding a 90 day period of exclusivity before movies leave theaters and hit streaming services. The decision may seem odd, but Netflix has a good reason for going to theaters.
In order for a film to be eligible for high-profile awards, including Oscars, it is required that the film must run for at least seven days in an LA county theater. Netflix has been fighting for legitimacy from the awards committees and this would put the streaming service in the running.
This isn’t the first time that Netflix films have been released in theaters. In 2018, Bird Box, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, Mowgli, and the Academy Award-winning Roma all went to theaters before streaming.
Here’s a full list of Netflix’s upcoming theatrical film releases, along with their streaming debut date:
- The Laundromat
7th (theatrical), Oct. 18th (Netflix) - Dolemite Is My Name
4th (theatrical); Oct. 25th (Netflix) - The King
11th (theatrical); Nov. 1st (Netflix) - The Irishman
1st (theatrical); Nov. 27th (Netflix) - Earthquake Bird
1st (theatrical); Nov. 15th (Netflix) - Marriage Story
6th (theatrical); Dec. 6th (Netflix) - Klaus
8th (theatrical); Nov. 15th (Netflix) - I Lost My Body
15th (theatrical); Nov. 29th (Netflix) - Atlantics
15th (theatrical); Nov. 29th (Netflix) - The Two Popes
27th (theatrical); Dec. 20th (Netflix)
The rules about which films are eligible for awards will likely continue to be debated with more streaming services, including Disney+, set to release original content in the coming months.
Source: The Verge
Did you know we have a YouTube Channel? Every week we have a live Cord Cutting Q&A, and weekly Cord Cutting recap shows exclusively on our YouTube Channel!
Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more news, tips, and reviews. Need cord cutting tech support? Join our Cord Cutting Tech Support Facebook Group for help.