Amazon To Self-Distribute First Film In Theaters, Woody Allen’s ‘Wonder Wheel’

As both Netflix and Amazon continue to make major strides in the movie business — sometimes to the dismay of longstanding industry players — both companies are taking decidedly different tacks. Whereas Netflix is premiering feature films exclusively on its own platform (sometimes at the same time as theatrical releases), Amazon is taking a more traditional approach by premiering its films in theaters.

And now, rather than partnering with indie distribution studios like Bleecker Street, Roadside Attractions, and Lionsgate, Amazon is slated to self-distribute its first-ever feature, Variety reports: Woody Allen’s Wonder Wheel, which is slated to open on Dec. 1. The move puts Amazon on track to becoming a full-scale film studio with financing, production, and distribution capabilities. Theatrical rollouts will be overseen by Bob Berney, Amazon’s head of movie marketing and distribution, per Variety

Wonder Wheel is a rumored Oscar contender that’s slated to close the 55th New York Film Festival on Oct. 14. Set on Coney Island in the 1950s, the film stars Justin Timberlake, Jim Belushi, Kate Winslet, and Juno Temple, and tells the story of a middle-aged carousel operator (Belushi) and his wife (Winslet), who are visited by their estranged daughter (Temple).

Other Amazon films on deck include Richard Linklater‘s Last Flag Flying, Todd Haynes’ Wonderstruck, the Ben Stiller-starring comedy Brad’s Status, and Suspiria — a remake of the 1977 Italian horror cult-classic.

Amazon formerly partnered with Allen on the Miley Cyrus-starring series Crisis In Six Scenes.