Director Zack Snyder might have missed out on a theatrical release for his cut of Justice League, but his upcoming zombie heist film is getting the widest theatrical release yet for a Netflix movie. Army of the Dead hits theaters on May 14, a week before it premieres on the streaming service, with a confirmation that it will be screened at a total of around 600 theaters in the USA alone.
Cinemark, one of the largest theater chains in the USA, first agreed to screen Snyder's Army of the Dead, booking 200 of its locations for the movie’s premiere. Smaller independent and regional theater chains then followed suit, giving Snyder fans an opportunity to enjoy the action-packed movie on the big screen. Other larger chains, like AMC, have not opted into the film’s theatrical release yet.Â
Snyder revealed the early theatrical release of Army of the Dead on his Twitter account, confirming that tickets were already on sale. It was previously revealed that Army of the Dead would be released in theaters, but, at the time, it seemed like it would be a simultaneous release, with the film premiering on Netflix and on a very limited number of screens. Netflix has pushed for a theatrical release for some of its films in the past, such as Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman, but the steamer has always stated that its content is meant to serve the subscribers. But, this release could change things.
In the past, theater chains have not been in favor of playing Netflix films on their screens, due to the exclusive theatrical window that allows films to have a wider release after 90 days of playing on the big screen. The streaming giant has refused to follow these guidelines thus far, including for some of its major productions. Snyder’s Army of the Dead will also be available to stream on Netflix on May 21, a week after its theatrical release.Â
The sudden shift in things could be due to the pandemic. With many cinemas shut around the world for months, many of the production houses opted for a digital release for their films. Additionally, media conglomerate Warner Bros. announced that all of its 2021 films would play on HBO Max and in theaters simultaneously, an unexpected move that paved the way for other studios. Now, Cinemark seems to have struck a deal with Netflix, with the theater chain confirming that Army of the Dead is just the first of many films by the streamer to receive a wider release.
Army of the Dead follows a group of mercenaries attempting an epic heist at a zombie-infested Las Vegas casino. Led by Scott Ward, portrayed by actor Dave Bautista, the characters will be facing a unique breed of zombies that are smarter and faster than the ones typically portrayed in movies.
Army of the Deadreleases in theaters on May 14 and premieres on Netflix on May 21, 2021.
Source: Zack Snyder/Twitter