Olivia Wilde says studios try to "bribe" producers to condemn their movies to streaming
A.V. Club • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Filmmaker Olivia Wilde revealed at the Locarno Film Festival that studios attempted to "bribe" her financiers to release her film The Invite directly to streaming rather than theaters, offering them more money to forgo a theatrical release.
- Wilde clarified that the bribes were directed at financiers, not filmmakers, who then had to decide between a bigger payday from streaming or preserving the theatrical experience.
- She praised A24, the film’s distributors, for their strong support of theatrical releases and thanked her financiers for allowing her to prioritize the movie’s communal viewing experience over streaming profits.
- The Invite, starring Wilde alongside Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton, premiered in theaters in June, receiving positive reviews and modest box office returns.
- Wilde emphasized that comedy, as a genre, benefits significantly from the shared experience of watching in a movie theater.
