While it’s going straight to Netflix instead of to your local multiplex as a big 3D spectacle as it was originally planned, the question remaining about “Spectral” is: Was it a movie that Universal and Legendary just didn’t think was commercially viable, or a dud they wanted to get off their hands?
Certainly, Joe Moviegoer isn’t going to buy a ticket to a movie based on these names alone — James Badge Dale, Max Martini, Emily Mortimer and Bruce Greenwood (and no knock on them, they’re just not huge A-listers) — but you also have to wonder about how much heart Universal had in a movie that they didn’t release any poster for, despite having an initial release date pegged for this summer. Not to mention that the rushed release by Netflix seems to indicate they also are just fine putting it into their catalogue without much thought. Either way, we’re going to find out soon what this “Black Hawk Down“-meets-“Ghostbusters” movie is all about, as it hits Netflix very soon.
“Spectral” will be ready to stream on December 9th.