Some theaters are choosing to insert an intermission into “Killers of the Flower Moon,” according to sources from The Wrap.
Both Paramount, the theatrical distributor, and Apple, the producer, were displeased with this decision, as revealed by an individual familiar with the matter.
While two European cinema chains and an indie theater in Amsterdam offered screenings of Martin Scorsese and Eric Roth’s 206-minute period drama with an intermission, a theater in Fort Collins, Colorado also provided a mid-film break during the film’s first week of release. However, protests from the studios led to the discontinuation of this practice.
The length of the intermissions ranged from six to fifteen minutes, allowing viewers a quick restroom break or the opportunity to purchase concessions without rushing. Paramount and Apple have reportedly been reaching out to theaters to oppose the idea and demand that the Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, and Lily Gladstone drama be shown as intended by the filmmakers.
An insider with knowledge of the situation informed TheWrap that “exhibiting this film with an intermission has occurred in a few isolated instances.” They also stated that showing the film with an intermission violates Paragraph 3 of the Domestic Licensing Agreement (MLA), which requires exhibitors to screen the film without any alterations or intermissions, as specified in the Booking Confirmation.
Thelma Schoonmaker, the film’s editor and longtime collaborator of Scorsese, called the decision “a violation” in an interview with The Standard, saying, “I understand that somebody’s running it with an intermission which is not right. That’s a violation, so I have to find out about it.”
“Killers of the Flower Moon,” which depicts the true-life murder spree of oil-rich Native Americans by greedy white capitalists, had a worldwide opening gross of $44 million last weekend. With a production cost of $200 million for Apple and theatrical distribution handled by Paramount, the film is already considered a top contender for Best Picture at the next Academy Awards.
Read more: Studios Crack Down on Theaters Showing ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ With Intermissions
Source: TheWrap
