*Spike Lee’s “Chi-Raq” won’t just be available for Amazon Prime members.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Amazon Studios will put the movie in theaters for an awards-qualifying run in December, a bold move as the streaming service looks to be a major player in the original movie realm.
“Chi-Raq,” which wrapped shooting last week in Chicago, was originally planned for a world premiere at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, if accepted, but Lee and Amazon are so high on the project that they’re now hoping for a spot in this year’s awards race, insiders say. Following a qualifying run in December, the movie would officially open after the new year.
The streamer declined comment on those plans, but Amazon Studios head Roy Price and his movie production chief, Ted Hope, say “Chi-Raq” will play first in theaters, then be made available relatively quickly to Amazon Prime customers (that’s the plan for all of its movies).
“We couldn’t have come up with a better film to launch our division in every which way. ‘Chi-Raq’ makes no apologies and dares to shock,” Hope said in his first joint interview with Price since arriving at Amazon in January. “Spike Lee is one of the most distinct and visionary filmmakers of our time.”
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