Andrew Dominik hasn’t directed a feature film since 2012’s Brad Pitt crime thriller Killing Them Softly, but the provocative filmmaker wrapped shooting on Marilyn Monroe biopic Blonde in late 2019, with the pandemic presumably holding up the release for so long.
Or at least, that was half of the story. There were wide-ranging reports that Dominik was butting heads with the streaming service over the final cut, which reportedly featured some incredibly graphic sexual and violent scenes; causing the streaming service no shortage of concern behind the scenes.
However, a new report from ReelWorld indicates that creative freedom has won out in the end, with Blonde set to premiere with its NC-17 rating intact. The outlet cites that one of the main driving forces behind the decision was that the finished product was much more of an art house experiment than a genuine awards season contender, so the boardroom was open to acquiescing to Dominik’s demands as a result.
Knives Out and No Time to Die star Ana de Armas plays Monroe in Blonde, with support coming from Adrien Brody, Bobby Cannavale, Julianne Nicholson, Scoot McNairy and more. Based on the rare NC-17 rating and tales of controversy, a lot of subscribers will no doubt be willing to check it out to see what all the fuss is about.