As a long-time film enthusiast and avid gamer, I can’t help but feel deeply disappointed by Amazon’s decision to prematurely pull “Thirteen Lives” from theaters and release it exclusively on Prime Video. I’ve seen my fair share of movies throughout the years, and there’s nothing quite like the experience of watching a film in a theater, surrounded by fellow cinemagoers and feeling the collective energy in the room.
Viggo Mortensen openly criticizes Amazon for abruptly ending the theatrical run of “Thirteen Lives” and making it available on Prime Video instead. Originally scheduled for a 2022 theatrical release, this Ron Howard-directed film saw its cinema tenure cut short when Amazon decided to distribute it through their streaming platform. Mortensen, famously known for his role as Aragorn in “The Lord of the Rings,” expressed disappointment over how Amazon MGM Studios managed the movie’s release.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Mortensen expressed his criticisms towards Jeff Bezos and Amazon’s executives bluntly. He claimed that their focus on profits and greed came at the expense of delivering a cinematic experience. To begin with, Mortensen strongly advocated for the importance of movie theaters as the ideal venue to enjoy films. The actor stated:
I’ve grown up with the traditional experience of going to the movie theater, the scent of popcorn and the excitement of a darkened room filled with eager audiences. There’s something magical about watching a film on the big screen, surrounded by others who share the same love for cinema. So it saddens me to think that there are fewer opportunities for films to be shown in movie theaters these days. I can understand the appeal of streaming services and the convenience they offer, but nothing compares to the immersive experience of seeing a film on the big screen. And as a filmmaker, I take pride in knowing that my work is being shared with audiences in this way. It’s not just about me, it’s about preserving the essence of cinema as we know it.
After getting himself worked up, Mortensen launched into a heated verbal attack against Bezos and the other executives involved in the controversial decision to prematurely withdraw “Thirteen Lives” from cinemas. Mortensen went on to say:
I can understand their justifications for their actions, but at the core of it all, I believe it was driven by avarice. Amazon could have honored their commitment and distributed the movie in theaters, allowing it to reach a wider audience and generate revenue from streaming services afterwards. However, they apparently calculated that it would be more advantageous for them financially if they avoided the expenses of marketing and theater rentals, keeping the entire profit for themselves. In my perspective, this decision boils down to an insatiable desire for money.
Viggo Mortensen Was Left Confused After the Release Change
In today’s era of streaming services, it’s common for companies to change their release plans to save money. Recently, Prime Video faced backlash from fans and the director of “Road House” remake for abandoning a theatrical debut in favor of streaming. Reflecting on the situation surrounding “Thirteen Lives,” Viggo Mortensen expressed both anger and confusion.
The movie “Thirteen Lives” received excellent feedback from both critics and viewers, boasting an impressive 85% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an even more favorable 94% score from audiences. However, Mortensen was confident that the film would resonate with audiences long before its official release. This assurance came from the positive outcomes of early test screenings, which strongly indicated a successful cinematic debut. Mortensen shared, “The test screenings showed incredibly promising results, paving the way for a widespread theatrical release.”
MGM produced a film that received exceptional test screening results, scoring higher than any other production in their history. Overwhelmed by this success, they planned for a global release in November of that year, making it available in countless cinemas across the world. Initially, you could only watch it in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, London, and a few other cities. I found the streaming version disappointing afterwards.
Thirteen Lives
is available to stream on
Prime Video
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2024-07-19 18:31