'War Machine' on Netflix: Why the deal matters
Netflix has reportedly obtained the distribution rights to the film 'War Machine,' which stars Brad Pitt as an American general. What does this deal mean for the movie industry?
Brad Pitt arrives at the AFI Awards at The Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles.
Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP
It鈥檚 changed the TV business and now Netflix could be shaking up the movie industry.
According to , Netflix has obtained the distribution rights to the movie 鈥淲ar Machine,鈥� a comedy starring Brad Pitt.
鈥淲ar鈥� will be available to be seen in some movie theaters, according to , but will also be available on Netflix. It will come to both sometime in 2016.
鈥淲e are so excited to be a part of the inspiring commitment by Netflix to produce cutting-edge content and to deliver it to a global audience,鈥� Pitt said in a .
鈥淢achine鈥� is based on Michael Hastings鈥� book 鈥淭he Operators,鈥� which detailed the career of General Stanley McChrystal. The movie will star Pitt as a character that is based on McChrystal, according to Deadline.聽
As we previously reported, Netflix is also set to release a sequel to the Oscar-winning movie 鈥淐rouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon鈥� later this summer (it will come at the same time to some IMAX theaters). Among other movie deals, in 2014, the streaming service signed a deal with actor Adam Sandler to have four of the movies from his production company premiere on Netflix.聽
Why is this different than those previous deals?聽Many in the industry are viewing this 鈥淲ar鈥� deal as a big step for Netflix and for the movie industry. Deadline writer Mike Fleming Jr. called the move a 鈥済ame changer鈥� With this deal, [Netflix chief content officer Ted] Sarandos has an opportunity to make the kind of seismic move in features as he did with TV series like聽鈥楬ouse Of Cards鈥欌�� It is also the first time Netflix has really gotten hold of a film with one of the biggest global A-list movie stars, in his prime, along with his producing cohorts whose recent credits include Best Picture winner聽鈥�12 Years A Slave鈥櫬燼nd Best Picture nominee聽鈥楽elma.鈥欌�� writer Josh Dickey wrote that the deal means 鈥淣etflix鈥� is now in another league鈥� Whatever stigma there may have been around putting a feature film out first on Netflix, consider it obliterated鈥� With an A-list actor in his prime signing on to partner with Netflix first, the streaming network has broken its last barrier to becoming a fully realized Hollywood content producer and distribution model.鈥�
And Business Insider writer Jason Guerrasio wrote that the move demonstrates 鈥渙nce more it is becoming a major player in the film business鈥� A move on a project with A-list backing like Pitt shows that it is seeking out content that will appease a global market. Having Pitt also builds Netflix鈥檚 stable of movie talent.鈥�