Netflix made television history earlier this year when its original shows were nominated for a total of fourteen Emmys, and then again, when one of its shows won three (House of Cards). Now, Netflix could be poised to make a similar mark in the movie industry.
The company announced today that it has made what it calls the first “major” acquisition for its original documentary initiative – a film about the uprising in Egypt called The Square.
I found that wording interesting, considering that just last month, Netflix announced that it had acquired another award-winning documentary in the heartfelt tragedy BrideGroom, which just debuted on the streaming service last week.
Netflix’s playing up of this latest acquisition may have to do with aspirations of winning one of its titles an Academy Award. Apparently, The Square has already been generating some Oscar buzz, and according to The Los Angeles Times, is getting a “self-financed Oscar-qualifying run in New York and Los Angeles and is tabbed as a favorite in the documentary category.”
The film has reportedly already been screening, bearing the Netflix logo.
Now, as Netflix is looking to really break into the movie business, an early Oscar would surely make the endeavor run much more smoothly.
Of course, a well-received Arrested Development film could help too.
Image: Arrested Development (YouTube)
