INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Netflix is picking up &The Lovebirds,& an upcoming romantic comedy starring Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae.
The Lovebirds& reunites Nanjiani
with director Michael Showalter
Their previous collaboration, &The Big Sick,& was distributed by Amazon Studios, who gave it a theatrical release before moving to
streaming.
This is part of the ongoing fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced Hollywood studios to scramble as theaters close
amidst a broader push for social distancing
Responses have ranged from delaying major releases to releasing movies early, eitheras digital rentals orvia subscription streaming services
like Disney+.
Netflix announces $100M relief fund after TV and film production halted
Paramount has already delayed a number of its
releases, including &The Lovebirds& (originally scheduled for April 3) and &A Quiet Place II.& This is the first time the outbreak has
prompted one of the major studios to have cancel a theatrical release entirely in favor of Netflix, but Paramount had an existing deal with
the streamer and previously chose to distribute &The Cloverfield Paradox& via Netflix rather than theaters.
There does not appear to be an
official announcement or release date yet.Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter are both reporting on the deal.
This approach likely makes
more sense for a mid-budget romantic comedy like &The Lovebirds& than it does for a big-budget blockbuster — but according to The Wrap,
is even considering a streaming release for this summer &Wonder Woman.
