Update: As expected, the four largest theater chains — AMC, Regal, Cinemark and Carmike — will not screen the film, Variety reports. See the original story below.
After HBO’s True Detective put Sin Nombre and Jane Eyre director Cary Fukunaga on the map, we’ve been eagerly awaiting when we’ll see his next film, Beasts of No Nation. Led by Idris Elba, Uzodinma Iweala‘s story adapted by Fukunaga centers around a young boy, Agu, who, when civil war engulfs his West African country, is forced to join a unit of mercenary fighters. Not only must Agu face the death of his father and disappearance of his mother and sister, but must also join a life of violence and brutality, which is where Elba’s character figures in.
It’s now been revealed the film will get a fairly unconventional release, particularly for a drama expected to debut during the awards season. While production only cost $6 million, Netflix has picked up the film for a hefty $12 million and plans to release it on the same day on their service and “select” theaters. “Beasts of No Nation is a powerful film that unfolds beautifully in the hands of director Cary Fukunaga with Idris Elba delivering a career-defining performance,” Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos tells Variety, confirming their acquisition.
He adds, “We are so proud to bring a film of this caliber exclusively to Netflix members around the world at the same time as it appears in select theaters.” This is similar to the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon sequel arriving later this year from Netflix and The Weinstein Company, which has caused the top theater chains to be perturbed. The paradigm is indeed shifting, with Netflix reportedly outbidding many competitors, so it’ll be interesting to see if this strategy succeeds.
What do you think of the release plan?