Few film directors have household name status like Martin Scorsese, and his return to gangster pictures with The Irishman is a major cinematic event. With Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci in the cast? Ohhh! And the first time inclusion of Al Pacino? Double ohhhh! Throw in Harvey Keitel, Ray Romano, Bobby Cannavale and rapturous notices from its New York Film Festival premiere? That’s a triple lindy ohhhhhh!
But theater chains hoping to affix comically-sized white napkins around their necks and slurp from bottomless bowls of ticket-macaroni feel like they’ve just gotten whacked. Netflix, who covered The Irishman’s budget and owns streaming and distribution rights to the film, has all the cards with this one, and it is significantly reducing the typical theatrical window for the movie.
“It’s a disgrace!” the New York Times quoted John Fithian of the National Association Theater Owners as saying. (It’s left to the imagination if he then spit on the ground and made vulgar gestures with his hands.)
In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Fithian continued “They sent a signal to filmmakers that even if you’re Martin Scorsese, you won’t get the wide theatrical release you want through Netflix.” Of course, what Fithian seems to forget is that the traditional Hollywood studios that Scorsese had heretofore done business with were uninterested in meeting the costs involved in creating this three-and-a-half-hour epic and its new de-aging digital special effects.
What everyone can agree on is this is uncharted territory. Not even last year’s celebrated awards contender Roma had this much heat on it. As such, Netflix has the ability to tell AMC, Regal, Cineplex and everyone else to go get their shineboxes. But Fithian, the unofficial mouthpiece for all those larger chains, is correct to remind Ted Sarandos and Scott Stuber (the Netfllix suit who ran point on The Irishman’s theatrical negotiations) that their dominance in over-the-top streaming services is about to run into new challenges with Disney + and HBO Max.
Audiences in major cities have options to see Scorsese’s newest at arthouses. Good for the little guys. There’s a little added flair in New York City, with a run at the Belasco Theater, a 112 year-old Broadway house with over 1000 seats that has debuted work by Clifford Odets, Arthur Miller and David Mamet. Luckily The Irishman is so good few will complain about its long runtime and the 20th century legroom. Or else.