In a change of strategy, Apple has backed away from its original theatrical release plans for upcoming movie Wolfs. It previously plotted to launch the film exclusively in cinemas across thousands of screens worldwide for an extended run, following the pattern set by previous releases like Killers of the Flower Moon, Napoleon, Argylle, and most recently, Fly Me to the Moon.
The company today announced that the film will get a small-scale limited theatrical release on September 20, followed by a worldwide streaming debut on Apple TV+ on Friday, September 27.
Wolfs stars Brad Pitt and George Clooney as two lone-fixers assigned to the same job, in an action comedy feature directed by Jon Watts.
While some may see Apple’s theatrical retrenchment here as a harbinger of doom, Apple is backing the film by announcing that work has already begun on a sequel. Deadline also reports high test scores with audiences in early previews, describing the movie as a “crowd pleaser”.
Top comment by Hannibal Lester
Good. Paying a streaming service to release movies in theaters before their streaming services is annoying and one more thing that makes subscribing to them unappealing.
Rather than saying anything about the quality of this particular title, the change may reflect a reality check of Apple’s mediocre-to-poor box office performance to date. Apple spent a lot of money on taking films like Argylle and Fly Me to the Moon to theaters, with little to show for it.
While the company says it is committed to theatrical releases for other films in the future, like the upcoming 2025 F1 movie (also starring Brad Pitt), it seems it will be more selective going forward. For instance, the other big original movies on its slate for this year are all announced as straight-to-streaming affairs.
If you are an Apple TV+ subscriber, this is probably a good thing as non-exclusive theatrical releases mean that you get to see the film at home faster. Under the original plan, Wolfs would have been showing in theaters exclusively for about 45 days, before hitting premium video-on-demand platforms for buy or rent for a month or so, and only then arrive on Apple TV+, months after the movie’s original premiere, probably around November.
But now, anyone with an Apple TV+ subscription will be able to stream Wolfs, starting September 27.
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