# The Irishman Question **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 29, 2019, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-irishman-question/844178 "2019-11-29T18:40:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SanDiegoTim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@SanDiegoTim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanDiegoTim)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2019, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-irishman-question/844178/1 "2019-11-29T18:40:16Z")
This film is currently in the theaters. My son tells me it’s also available on Netflix. Assuming he is correct, isn’t this odd? ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Mabes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mike_mabes/32/1782_2.png) [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2019, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-irishman-question/844178/2 "2019-11-29T18:48:09Z")
basically, the original studio didn’t want to spend the money, nor realease a film over 3 hours > **[Why Martin Scorsese Made The Irishman for Netflix](https://collider.com/why-martin-scorsese-made-the-irishman-for-netflix/)** > > Martin Scorsese explains why he made his epic gangster drama The Irishman at Netflix after Paramount dropped the movie over budget concerns. ---
**Author:** ![Galwegian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galwegian/32/3426_2.png) [@Galwegian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Galwegian)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2019, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-irishman-question/844178/3 "2019-11-29T21:14:35Z")
My understanding was that it was a Netflix movie, but needs a theatrical release also to be considered for awards. Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2019, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-irishman-question/844178/4 "2019-11-29T21:31:34Z")
A similar thing happened last year with Roma. It was originally intended just for streaming, but when it got good reviews Netflix released it to theaters so it would be eligible for awards. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2019, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-irishman-question/844178/5 "2019-11-29T21:45:12Z")
> [@Galwegian](#): > > My understanding was that it was a Netflix movie, but needs a theatrical release also to be considered for awards. Yes, but the theatrical release can be extremely limited: The Academy announced that Rule Two, which says a film is eligible to be considered for an Oscar so long as it has a seven-day run in an LA theater, will remain unchanged for the 92nd Academy Awards in 2020, despite suggestions that it should be changed to require a longer theatrical run from potential nominees. > **[The Academy won’t change its rules to exclude Netflix from the Oscars](https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/24/18514430/oscars-netflix-amazon-prime-academy-awards-entry-rules-nominations-spielberg-roma)** > > Rule Two will stay as it is From what I can see it opened in LA and New York theaters and also in various theaters across the country, though not a “wide” release by the usual blockbuster standards. Thus, _The Irishman_, which has already appeared on Netflix, is not only eligible for Oscars if the above rules haven’t changed, but IMHO stands a good chance of winning a few, including some best actors and maybe even best picture (96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes). ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2019, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-irishman-question/844178/6 "2019-11-29T23:08:18Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Yes, but the theatrical release can be extremely limited: > [INDENT]The Academy announced that Rule Two, which says a film is eligible to be considered for an Oscar so long as it has a seven-day run in an LA theater, will remain unchanged for the 92nd Academy Awards in 2020, despite suggestions that it should be changed to require a longer theatrical run from potential nominees. I don’t know about longer, but perhaps it should be more widespread. I am under the impression that the rule is a holdover from the days when movies would be released in LA and Manhattan (which was also required at the time, before the number of theaters in Manhattan dwindled (due to real estate prices) to the point where this became very hard) on, or just before, Christmas, so it could be “fresh” in theaters the following March/April when the Oscars were awarded. Note that the Oscar rules also say that the start of the theatrical run must occur before, or on the same day as, it is first broadcast on TV, including PPV or Video On Demand. ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Mabes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mike_mabes/32/1782_2.png) [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2019, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-irishman-question/844178/7 "2019-11-29T23:41:34Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Yes, but the theatrical release can be extremely limited: > The Academy announced that Rule Two, which says a film is eligible to be considered for an Oscar so long as it has a seven-day run in an LA theater, will remain unchanged for the 92nd Academy Awards in 2020, despite suggestions that it should be changed to require a longer theatrical run from potential nominees. > [The Academy won’t change its rules to exclude Netflix from the Oscars - The Verge](https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/24/18514430/oscars-netflix-amazon-prime-academy-awards-entry-rules-nominations-spielberg-roma) > > From what I can see it opened in LA and New York theaters and also in various theaters across the country, though not a “wide” release by the usual blockbuster standards. Thus, _The Irishman_, which has already appeared on Netflix, is not only eligible for Oscars if the above rules haven’t changed, but IMHO stands a good chance of winning a few, including some best actors and maybe even best picture (96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes). the article in the OP says the big theatre chains would not show it. I get it, they are not going to get a large crowd if people know they can see it at home a few weeks later.