Coen Brothers Confirm ‘The Ballad of Buster Scruggs’ Won’t Just Be Stuck on Netflix
Netflix has a mightily impressive fall slate this year. From Orson Welles’ final, unfinished movie to the new Coen brothers western, the streaming service is finally going to host a bunch of actually good original movies – who knew! But that’s also led some to grow concerned that new projects from acclaimed filmmakers will be stuck on tiny TV screens throughout Netflix-loving homes. Luckily, that won’t be the case.
The streaming studio plans to give a handful of their biggest fall titles limited theatrical runs along with awards season campaigns. The Coens confirmed as much for their upcoming The Ballad of Buster Scruggs at the Venice Film Festival on Friday. Originally concieved as an anthology TV series and converted into a film, the Tim Blake Nelson-led Scruggs will hit Netflix and limited theaters on November 16. Ethan Coen told press at Venice (via Variety) that having the film screen in theaters was especially important for him and Joel Coen:
Theatrical release was important to us, and they were happy to accommodate us. And I don’t even know if it was to accommodate us or their plans coincided with ours… It’s important to us that people who want to see it on a big screen are able to.
This follows news that Netflix also plans to give Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma a theatrical run. Even more interesting is that Netflix is reportedly considering giving the black-and-white film, which critics are already calling the Mexican filmmaker’s latest masterpiece, an exclusive release in theaters before it hits Netflix, according to The Hollywood Reporter. No word yet on if that’ll happen, but for now you can expect to see Roma on the big and small screen on December 14.
You’ll also be able to see Wells’ The Other Side of the Wind in the theater on November 2, as well as Netflix’s Paul Greengrass drama 22 July on October 10.
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