As a cinephile with over three decades of immersion in the world of cinema, I can’t help but appreciate Alexander Payne‘s dedication to preserving the theatrical experience for his upcoming film, “Tracy Flick Can’t Win.” It’s a breath of fresh air in today’s streaming-centric landscape, where mid-budget films often get swept away like leaves in an autumn wind.
Alexander Payne prefers not to have his “Election” sequel released directly on Paramount+. Originally released in 1999, “Election” was a modestly successful movie at the box office but received significant praise from critics, earning nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay at the Academy Awards and Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical for Reese Witherspoon at the Golden Globes. In 2022, the book “Tracy Flick Can’t Win” was published, detailing Tracy Flick’s life since the events of the original story. Shortly afterward, it was announced that “Tracy Flick Can’t Win” would be turned into an original movie for Paramount+, with Witherspoon set to reprise her role and Payne returning as director.
Payne is reconsidering whether his upcoming movie should premiere on Paramount+. During an interview with Deadline at the Sarajevo Film Festival, he mentioned that he and his ‘Election’ co-writer Jim Taylor are still refining the script. Initially, the film was intended for a streaming release, but Payne now desires ‘Tracy Flick Can’t Win’ to instead have a cinematic debut, marking it as his first film not exclusively streamed.
“What I’ve learned is that an agreement was struck for Paramount+, a service for online streaming. However, I’ve decided to step away from that. I’m actually a fan of cinema screenings. You understand, don’t you? When it comes to streaming, people’s eyes light up with dollar signs. But my preference lies in theatrical films.”
Streaming vs. Theatrical Releases
When Payne made the first deal for Tracy Flick Can’t Win back in December 2022, streaming films were in an odd place. It seemed to be the new normal to send mid-budget films and follow-ups to those types of movies straight to streaming; 2022 saw movies like Orphan: First Kill, Chip n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers, and Prey get streaming releases. Yet since then, many films originally intended for streaming, like Alien: Romulus, Blue Beetle, and Evil Dead Rise, have been upgraded to theatrical releases. There are still some high-profile streaming movies, like the upcoming Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, set to be released on Peacock next Valentine’s Day. With Payne and Witherspoon attached, the Election sequel might be more valuable as a theatrical release.
It’s likely that the movie “Tracy Flick Can’t Win” could be advanced to a theatrical release. This potential move is bolstered by the fact that Alexander Payne’s films often receive significant critical and award recognition. His latest production, “The Holdovers,” garnered five Academy Award nominations, with Da’Vine Joy Randolph earning a win for Best Supporting Actress. Given this success and Reese Witherspoon reprising one of her most beloved roles in “Tracy Flick Can’t Win,” Paramount might consider releasing the film in theaters to capitalize on potential awards buzz.
The other factor to consider is that several movies originally intended for streaming and that got big theatrical releases instead have turned out to be rather profitable, particularly for Paramount. Both Smile and Mean Girls were initially intended for streaming release. However, after positive test screenings and a shift in the market from prioritizing streaming, both were bumped up to theatrical releases. Smile was a breakout hit in 2022, grossing $217 million on a $17 million budget, and now has a sequel, Smile 2, set for release this October. Mean Girls was made on a budget of $36 million and made $104 million. In both cases, these were mid-budget movies that made a profit for Paramount, but that would not have happened had they been sent straight to streaming. It definitely sounds like Paramount would do well to listen to Payne on this one.
Read More
- Cookie Run Kingdom Town Square Vault password
- Pi Network’s Grand Migration: 10 Million and Counting!
- Maiden Academy tier list
- Cuddly Cats Take Over in the Wildest Night of the Living Dead Remake!
- Kingdom Come Deliverance 2: Lion’s Crest DLC Quest Guide
- After The Odyssey’s First Look At Matt Damon’s Odysseus, Fans Think They’ve Figured Out Who Tom Holland Is Playing
- Former ‘Bachelorette’ Star Katie Thurston Reveals Breast Cancer Diagnosis: “Waiting on Learning What Stage”
- Rick Owens Gives RIMOWA’s Cabin Roller a Bronze Patina
- Nicky Campbell, Rising Fashion Influencer, Inks With The Jeffries for Management
- Cookie Run Kingdom: Shadow Milk Cookie Toppings and Beascuits guide
2024-08-22 23:02