Steven Spielberg thinks Netflix films should be barred from Oscars: 'They're TV movies'

He believes they deserve Emmys instead

Jacob Stolworthy
Wednesday 28 March 2018 11:56 BST
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Steven Spielberg: Netflix films should not be eligible for Oscars nominations

Steven Spielberg has waded in on the debate surrounding whether films released on Netflix should receive equal treatment to those granted theatrical runs.

in the past year, Netflix films have sparked the ire of Dunkirk director Christopher Nolan as well as been banned from competition at Cannes Film Festival. Directing maestro Spielberg, whose new film Ready Player One is in cinemas now, agrees with these sentiments.

“I don’t believe that films that are just given token qualifications, in a couple of theatres for less than a week, should qualify for the Academy Award nominations,” he told ITV News expressing his concern that smaller independent titles are bypassing cinema releases after being snapped up by streaming services including Amazon and Hulu.

The three-time Academy Award-winning director continued: “Fewer and fewer filmmakers are going to struggle to raise money or to compete at Sundance and possibly get one of the specialty labels to release their films theatrically.

“More of them are going to let the SVOD [Streaming Video On-Demand] businesses finance their films, maybe with the promise of a slight, one-week theatrical window to qualify for awards. But, in fact, once you commit to a television format, you’re a TV movie.”

He added that television is stronger today than it's ever been but stated he wouldn't be joining the likes of Martin Scorsese and the Coen Brothers by making material specifically for Netflix.

Spielberg expressed the view that Netflix titles “deserve an Emmy” instead of Oscars.

Netflix film Mudbound saw Mary J, Blige earn a Best Supporting Actress nomination at this year's ceremony.

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