Title: The Hollywood Dilemma: Why ‘Wake Up Dead Man’ Deserves a Theatrical Release
The Hollywood Dilemma: Why ‘Wake Up Dead Man’ Deserves a Theatrical Release
The summer of 2023 proved that people want to go to the movies for big cultural events, thanks to the one-two punch that came to be known as “Barbenheimer.” On July 21 of that year, Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” and Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” two major cinematic juggernauts, brought people to theaters in droves, and it paid off handsomely for both; “Barbie” handily made a billion dollars at the box office, and “Oppenheimer,” a sprawling three-hour biopic and historical drama, ultimately came close to its cohort with $962 million. Despite the fact that audiences were still reeling from the worldwide pandemic, they showed up to see these movies, and neither of them ended up on streaming or VOD for months after their theatrical releases. So let’s bring of this back to “Wake Up Dead Man,” because the film, which won’t even come out until 2025, is an example of Hollywood’s latest problem.
The Potential Success of ‘Wake Up Dead Man’
There’s no question that, after the love shown to both “Knives Out” and “Glass Onion,” “Wake Up Dead Man” would be a surefire box office success. Netflix hasn’t discussed a theatrical release just yet, but if it gets one at all, it’ll likely get the same limited treatment that “Glass Onion” did, which is completely disappointing. Money aside, “Wake Up Dead Man” could be a major moviegoing experience and serve as a cultural touchpoint for 2025. Instead, it’ll get the Netflix treatment — it might get a tiny theatrical window before it’s unceremoniously shunted onto the streamer until its next big project comes along. It’s a shame, because Rian Johnson deserves better. Daniel Craig and the already outstanding cast deserve better. And frankly, moviegoers deserve better too.