Netflix and Ricky Gervais have formed a healthy relationship with one another. Not only did the streaming site release Gervais’ Channel 4 series, “Derek,” they produced and distributed his latest feature comedy, “Special Correspondents,” just earlier this year. And it looks like they want to keep a good thing going: while Gervais gears up the international release for his “The Office” UK feature film spin-off, this summer’s “David Brent: Life on the Road,” the British comedian announced Netflix is coming around to once again release his newest comedy worldwide.
Gervais gave the exclusive to Opie and Anthony, and took to Twitter to unveil the news not long afterward. The film is already set to hit theaters in New Zealand, Australia, Ireland and the UK in August, but Netflix will distribute the film everywhere else. And while this means that, like “Special Correspondents,” the film will go directly to the site and not get a theatrical release in the United States, the writer-director-star of the film isn’t concerned.
“Everyone is going to see it, which is great for me ‘cause I’d rather 20 million people see it (on Netflix) than half a million people see it in the cinemas,” Gervais told the Sirius radio show. “Because I want to do tours on the back of it. So, for me, it’s great it’s going on Netflix.”
With this deal, the comedy won’t come into American homes until next year, as Gervais noted on Twitter, which is disappointing for those of us in the states. It’s unclear when exactly it’ll hit, but it will likely become available towards the beginning of the new year. In any case, while “Special Correspondents” was a massively disappointing no-hitter for the comedian and it’s worrisome to know co-creator Stephen Merchant is not involved in the continuation, this is exciting news for a movie that I, personally, am very excited to see. If it’s anywhere near as funny as Brent’s return from a few years back, we’re in for something good, and the first teaser suggested we’re in for some funny stuff. We won’t know for sure, though, until we plug it into Netflix sometime in 2017.
You can only see #LifeOnTheRoad in the UK & Australia in Cinemas, this August. Netflix have it for the rest of the world from next year.
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) June 14, 2016
America! You can watch #LifeOnTheRoad exclusively on @Netflix next year. Or you can fly to The UK to watch in movie theatres this August 🙂
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) June 14, 2016
