Netflix’s Gold Rush
Start building a new mantle for the streaming giant.
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Netflix wants to be taken seriously as a movie studio. Despite not having a traditional theatrical window, the streaming giant has made it their mission to win a Best Picture Oscar.
In 2019, they scored their first-ever Best Picture nomination with Roma. With the 2020 nominees announced, there was one big surprise. Netflix leads all studios when it comes to nominations. They have a whopping 24, their nearest rival, Sony Entertainment, has 20.
Invest In The Gold
While Netflix isn’t the home studio to the flick with the most nomination, that honor belongs to Warner Brothers’ Joker, they can crow about being blessed with two of their movies getting spots on the Best Picture list. The Irishman and Marriage Story will compete for the top award on Oscar night.
Much has been written about The Irishman. With a cost of a reported $200 million, it is one of the most expensive movies ever made. And it likely won’t bring Netflix any kind of profit, since it was only released to theaters to ensure it would be eligible for awards. However, experts argue that if it ends up bringing Netflix home major awards, the investment will pay off in the end.
Like House Of Cards, the TV show equivalent of the much-praised movie, mass popularity was not the endgame for these pieces. They were designed to bring Netflix prestige, which is what they have done. A Best Picture win would be the cherry on top of the whipped cream on the sundae for the fledgling studio.
Rumors abound that Netflix also signed a long term lease for the New York City independent movie theatre, Paris, to suck up to the academy. Many believe they want to take that goodwill and turn into an awards season bonanza.
Star Gold
With the exception of Robert De Niro, all of the main actors in a Netflix film were nominated for Oscars. Marriage Story’s Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver are enjoying their latest nominations. Driver is considered a front runner for the Best Actor category, while Johansson is a dark horse for Best Actress. While Renee Zellweger is considered the front runner for Best Actress, Johansson has a lot of goodwill coming off…
