Posted in: Movies, Netflix | Tagged: Glass Onion: A Knives Out Story, Knives Out, Wake Me Up Dead Man, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knvies Out Story

Daniel Craig Wasn't Happy With Netflix's Release Model For Glass Onion

Daniel Craig was reportedly unhappy that Netflix was unwilling to extend Glass Onion's limited theatrical run following a positive world premiere at TIFF.

When Knives Out was released in 2019, it wasn't just a critical hit but a commercial success. It made over $300 million at the worldwide box office on a budget of $40 million, which was seen as a success story even in the buckwild world of 2019. No one was surprised to hear that more movies were coming, but they were surprised where the sequels would end up. The film had a box office appeal, yet Netflix was going to make the second and third films after they picked up the rights to the tune of nearly $500 million. This seemed a little odd, even with the pandemic putting things in a new light, but that was the direction that everyone decided to go. However, it sounds like not everyone was thrilled with the Netflix model despite it being exactly what they signed up for.

There were a couple of weird things about Glass Onion: A Knives Out Story, starting with the title and ending with the fact that Netflix gave the film a week in theaters a full month before its Netflix debut as a "preview." With so little time at the box office, the film had almost no time to gain any momentum at the box office, and any momentum from positive theatrical screenings was halted because there was a month before it was released on Netflix. This model was weird at the time, and it turns out that those involved with the film thought it was weird, too. According to a report by Puck News (via The Playlist), star Daniel Craig was unhappy with Netflix's decision to do the week-long theatrical sneak preview. Reportedly, there was an intense interaction between Craig and Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos following an extremely positive reaction at the Toronto International Film Festival. Craig tried to use the positive crowd reaction at the premiere to try and leverage a longer theatrical window, but Sarandos "reiterated the mantra that full theatrical releases aren't part of the "model," that led Craig to basically respond, 'Your model is fucked.'"

Getting mad at Netflix for not wanting to do longer theatrical windows is like getting on a train and then getting angry that it isn't getting you to your location as fast as a plane. That isn't what you signed up for, and you knew what you were getting into when you got onto the train. If you got onto a train expecting a plane, your expectations were the wrong ones, not the train companies. Rian Johnson did not have to give the distribution rights of the next two Knives Out sequels to Netflix. He could have stayed at Lionsgate, and they probably would have given him as much money as they could, along with full FYC campaigns at the end of the year.

However, following the pandemic, everyone thought streaming was the way forward, and no one wanted to return to theaters. It appears everyone made a hasty decision without considering that theaters could return. Netflix has no reason to change the theatrical releases for Glass Onion or the upcoming Wake Me Up Dead Man because, despite how many TV shows they are canceling, they are still gaining subscribers. No company will fix what they see as something that isn't broken.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery: Summary, Cast, Release Date

Benoit Blanc returns to peel back the layers in a new Rian Johnson whodunit. This fresh adventure finds the intrepid detective at a lavish private estate on a Greek island, but how and why he comes to be there is only the first of many puzzles. Blanc soon meets a distinctly disparate group of friends gathering at the invitation of billionaire Miles Bron for their yearly reunion. Among those on the guest list are Miles' former business partner Andi Brand, current Connecticut governor Claire Debella, cutting-edge scientist Lionel Toussaint, fashion designer, and former model Birdie Jay and her conscientious assistant Peg, and influencer Duke Cody and his sidekick girlfriend Whiskey. As in all the best murder mysteries, each character harbors their own secrets, lies, and motivations. When someone turns up dead, everyone is a suspect. Returning to the franchise he began, Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Rian Johnson writes and directs Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery and assembles another all-star cast that includes a returning Daniel Craig alongside Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline with Kate Hudson and Dave Bautista. It played in theaters from November 23rd to 29th and streamed to Netflix on December 23rd.

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