I have no problem with Netflix crashing the Oscar game, it could help and push the other major studios to step up their game and actually produce more original content instead of the money-hungry, franchise-obsessed mindset that is currently running rampant in almost every major exec's head.
With all that said, Netflix will be legitimizing itself as a major studio in the next few months when its fall lineup starts to be released, on by one, like a staggering domino-effect that's about to take over the industry.
Again, the word that needs to be used here is "legitimization." Even to this day, people still aren't taking Netflix as a serious distributor of "cinema." Those unwilling to accept that, yes, a Netflix movie should be counted as a real movie, one that is gunning for credible awards contention, will get a major wakeup call these next few months when Alfonso Cuaron's "ROMA" is released in theaters.
The advanced buzz surrounding "ROMA" is incredible. Cuaron is one of the best filmmakers around and the fact that many are touting his film as a Best Picture contender is a sign of many great things to come for both Cuaron and Netflix.
Some of the most important Hollywood filmmakers are now making the jump to the streaming giant. After all, Hollywood executives from the other major studios have all but killed the idea of giving highly talented directors the room for creative freedom.
The advanced buzz surrounding "ROMA" is incredible. Cuaron is one of the best filmmakers around and the fact that many are touting his film as a Best Picture contender is a sign of many great things to come for both Cuaron and Netflix.
Some of the most important Hollywood filmmakers are now making the jump to the streaming giant. After all, Hollywood executives from the other major studios have all but killed the idea of giving highly talented directors the room for creative freedom.
Later this fall Joel and Ethan Cohen will be giving us their 132-minute anthology Western "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs," the creative freedom was so flexible on the film for the brothers that, although they had originally intended "Scruggs" as a 6 part mini-series, they have decided, with the full backing of Netflix, to turn it into a feature-length film instead. "Scruggs" is due to premiere at the Venice Film Festival next month and set to be released via stream later this year.
Want some icing on that cake? Lest we forget that Netflix is also in charge of distributing, maybe, the most anticipated film for cinephiles of these past few years: Martin Scorsese's "The Irishman." It's been 25 years since Scorsese/De Niro teamed up for a movie (1995's "Casino") but during that time the director/actor behind such classics as "Goodfellas," 'Taxi Driver," The King of Comedy" and "Mean Streets" have seen their work age like fine wine and turn into the stuff of legend, with even millennials jumping onboard and taking great affinity to the staggering body of work these two artists concocted in their 3+ decades of work together.
We can add Michael Bay to the list of Hollywood A-list directors Netflix has inked up, although his reputation as a director of brainless, but successful, action films for the low-brow machismo crowd won't give him any Oscars. Bay's large fanbase will be following his journey to Netflix as his cameras are ready to roll on the Ryan Reynolds and Melanie Laurent starring action vehicle "Six Underground."
Reynolds' "Deadpool" collaborators Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick will be part of the creative team, with the tone being described as "the R-rated superhero action-comedy meets "Mission: Impossible.""
Laurent joins a cast that already includes Dave Franco, Corey Hawkins, Adria Arjona, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Ben Hardy, Lior Raz and should streaming on Netflix next year.
The short version: "Woman Unknown" was a compromise. The jury deadlocked over "Possible Love" and "NAZA," not able to com to terms, fell back on their #3, May el-Toukhy's film.