In a move that is so obvious, it’s amazing that it took this long to happen, Netflix and Steven Soderbergh have teamed up to release his upcoming film, “High Flying Bird.”
For those unaware of the incredible, and frankly ground-breaking, career of Soderbergh, the filmmaker has continuously pushed the boundaries of technology and film release strategies in recent years. Whether it’s by taking control of the marketing (focusing solely on digital) for “Logan Lucky” or using iPhones to film “Unsane,” the filmmaker is constantly looking for new ways to get his films in the eyeballs of his adoring fans. So, it’s only natural that Soderbergh would eventually team up with the biggest film industry disruptor of them all.
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“We had several strong options for distributing ‘High Flying Bird,’ but to borrow the patois of the movie itself, this deal felt like a slam dunk and the perfect way for me to begin my relationship with Netflix as a director,” said Soderbergh (via Deadline).
“High Flying Bird” tells the story of a sports agent that attempts to lure one of his rookie professional basketball clients into a controversial business deal, while the athlete deals with an NBA lockout, which prevents him from playing his sport. Not much is known about the film, other than the basic plot and the fact that the film came together incredibly quickly, thanks in no small part to Soderbergh utilizing iPhones, yet again, to produce the project.
The film stars André Holland in the lead role of agent, as well as Zazie Beetz, Melvin Gregg, Sonja Sohn, Zachary Quinto, Kyle MacLachlan, and Bill Duke. “High Flying Bird” is written by Tarell Alvin McCraney, best known for his work on the Oscar-winning film, “Moonlight.”
As mentioned, “High Flying Bird” marks the first collab between Netflix and Soderbergh, but probably not his last. As we reported back in July, during an interview, the director said his upcoming star-studded Panama Papers film, “The Laundromat,” will “probably end up” at the streaming service. In fact, the major selling point for Soderbergh is that Netflix offers an avenue for creativity that is largely without interference, as opposed to the traditional studio system, who aren’t interested in “mid-level budget movies for grown-ups.”
In that report, we also shared a quote where Soderbergh said, “I don’t care,” when asked about the possibility of forgoing a theatrical release, or festival inclusion, by joining Netflix. However, with the recent success of the streaming service at the Venice Film Festival (where the Netflix film “Roma,” written and directed by Alfonso Cuaron, won the highest prize), Soderbergh might just get all the theatrical and festival love that he’s experienced in the past.
Regardless, we know one thing for sure. Netflix has nabbed another creative powerhouse in the filmmaking world in Soderbergh. It appears that the streaming giant is moving full-speed ahead with its ambitious film plans.
There’s no release date set for “High Flying Bird.”
Check out all our coverage from the 2018 Venice Film Festival here.
