It seems like Zack Snyder‘s “Justice League” is not an isolated incident, and it could even inspire other films to become extended mini-series, as Baz Luhrmann is reportedly pulling a similar stunt with his 2008 movie “Australia” and release it as a limited series on Hulu.
New York Times writer Kyle Buchanan tweeted the report on Saturday, saying “So I’m hearing that Baz Luhrmann is re-editing his 2008 movie AUSTRALIA as a 2021 limited series for Hulu…. did we know this already?” Of course, this is by no means a confirmation that it will happen, but stranger things have happened in 2020.
Movies getting a director’s cut, or an extended version isn’t anything new. From the “Star Wars” special editions, to the seven different cuts of “Blade Runner” that have screened at least once, it isn’t entirely a new thing to see a film get re-released with new footage a long time after its initial release. But movies being turned into limited series is a new trend. Last year, Quentin Tarantino divided his film “The Hateful Eight” into a four-part mini-series for Netflix, including 25 minutes of new footage. And, of course, we know Zack Snyder’s cut of “Justice League” will be divided into a four-episode limited series on HBO Max.
Both “Hateful Eight” and “Justice League” underperformed at the box office, but they still got or will get a re-release. With the current pandemic causing endless delays and cancellations on new projects, it is possible studios decide to look back and expensive films that underperformed at the box office, films that may have more footage that never made it to movie theaters, and re-edit them as limited series or extended editions. The question then becomes, are people really that eager to see an extended cut of “Australia”? And what other expensive but financially disappointing movies could get this treatment? Would somebody please make a “Cats” limited series? Or on a more serious note, either “Cloud Atlas” or “Jupiter Ascending.”
READ MORE: ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ Will Reportedly Cost $70 Million To Produce
Luhrmann’s “Australia” made headlines shortly before it premiered in 2008 after it was reported that Fox had forced Luhrmann to add a more upbeat ending after negative test screenings. The studio immediately denied all allegations, but maybe they will use this limited series to promote Luhrmann’s full and uncensored creative vision to appeal to his fans.