‘Straight Outta Compton’ To FX Networks

[mvcg66b3r]

Cube, Dre, Eazy-E and the crew are headed to FX. Straight Outta Compton expressed itself with a $60M domestic bow, the fifth-best ever in August, and now it has a commercial TV home at FX Networks. The N.W.A biopic will air on its group of channels — FX, FXX, FXM and VOD platform FXNow.

The company has made a habit of gobbling up box office hits in the past two years. FX retained the services of Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation two weeks ago and before that grabbed Minions, Jurassic World and Furious 7. FX Networks this year also has also licensed Trainwreck, Spy, Pixels, Terminator: Genisys, Ted 2, Pitch Perfect 2, Taken 3, Kingsman: The Secret Service and Home. And in 2014, FX nailed down rights to two-thirds of the films that grossed more than $100 million at the domestic box office.

http://deadline.com/2015/08/straight-outta-compton-fx-networks-tv-rights-1201500377/

 

[LKellerIII]

Keep in mind that before hitting the FX networks, these theatrical blockbusters will premiere in pay-per-view and through Red Box, be released on DVD, be available on DVD through Netflix, then have a second run on premium cable - either HBO, Showtime, or Starz.

I'm sure it will still garner good ratings for FX, but they are really getting...uh...sloppy thirds or fourths. It amazes me that in this day and age, people are still willing to watch films on basic cable or the commercial networks, where they are edited for time and content.

 

[brian4]

I thought Straight Outta Compton was a good movie. It'll be interesting what edits FX will do, especially language.

 

[ShawnHill1]

I thought Straight Outta Compton was a good movie. It'll be interesting what edits FX will do, especially language.

Given that it's FX, there will be likely minimal editing...the "f" and "mf" words would be edited, but the other common swear words, including the "s" word will fly.

My wife and I saw the movie over the weekend...we thought it was entertaining, although as someone that has followed N.W.A since my early teens, I believe that it was lacking in some areas, particularly leaving out some not-so-proud moments that each of individual members of the group. Everything that was covered in the movie indeed happened, but they a bit of revisionist history at the same time.

 

[crainbebo]

Not only are they edited for time/content, but they are CHOCK full of commercials (ever seen a movie on Comedy Central or Spike? 90-minute movies turn into almost 2 1/2 hours due to all of the commercials), and there are logo bugs and "stay-on-the-screen" promos all over the place. I cannot understand why someone would want to watch that crap. HBO rocks, you get new movies on Saturday nights, and NO logo bugs, NO commercials.

-crainbebo

 

[MarcB]

Comedy Central and Spike are both owned by Viacom so of course they have the extra commercial breaks just like TVLAND, but sometimes if there's nothing else on and Comedy Central is showing a movie you like you'll watch it even with the extra commercial breaks.

 

[LKellerIII]

Given that it's FX, there will be likely minimal editing...the "f" and "mf" words would be edited, but the other common swear words, including the "s" word will fly.

My wife and I saw the movie over the weekend...we thought it was entertaining, although as someone that has followed N.W.A since my early teens, I believe that it was lacking in some areas, particularly leaving out some not-so-proud moments that each of individual members of the group. Everything that was covered in the movie indeed happened, but they a bit of revisionist history at the same time.

In this case, I'd be more concerned with editing for time. It's a hour/30 minute film, so I'd guess FX will make an "event," out of it, and stuff it into a 3.5 hour time slot, but that will make for a tiring viewing for those who don't DVR it and speed search the commercials. And given the commercial load these days, they would probably still have to cut some content to get it into the time-slot.

So assuming I don't see it in the theatre, I will either rent the DVD from Netflix, or catch it on its premium cable run.

As for swear words on basic cable - I am noticing that these networks are increasingly pushing the envelope. USA has a new series I like called Mr. Robot. It's much edgier than USA's usual breezy action/adventure fare. They are showing characters saying the F word frequently in full face shots, though they edit out the sound. Really, though - what's the point? I think this trend started with Jon Stewart on The Daily Show.

 

[landtuna]

Given that it's FX, there will be likely minimal editing...the "f" and "mf" words would be edited, but the other common swear words, including the "s" word will fly.

The local movie critic on Fox here in Phoenix said he thought it was a good movie and far better than he anticipated but that editing out all the swear words for TV would make it virtually a silent movie.

Paraphrasing another member: Rap is like candy - first, ditch the (w)rapper.

 

[LKellerIII]

The local movie critic on Fox here in Phoenix said he thought it was a good movie and far better than he anticipated but that editing out all the swear words for TV would make it virtually a silent movie.

Paraphrasing another member: Rap is like candy - first, ditch the (w)rapper.

Good point. The current method is just cut the sound during the "F--K." and the "Motherf__k" That's fine, but if the dialogue is full of these words, and I think that's likely for Straight Outta Compton. So watching it on basic cable could get very annoying.

The "old school method" was to actually loop in PG rated dialogue as recorded by the original actors. Though that too can sound lame. I remember watching Car Wash (I think it was) a few years ago on either basic cable or a local station. There is a scene where the characters are riffing on the word "chckens__t." The producers had looped in "chickenstuff." But nobody says "chickenstuff" in real life, so it essentially ruined the scene.

 

[landtuna]

The "old school method" was to actually loop in PG rated dialogue as recorded by the original actors.

Not sure these actors know any of those PG words.

 

[vchimpanzee]

The "old school method" was to actually loop in PG rated dialogue as recorded by the original actors. Though that too can sound lame.

Definitely lame, but I'd rather not hear the language. I saw a movie where this was done over the weekend.

As for seeing people say the words, they blur their mouths now.

 

[LKellerIII]

Definitely lame, but I'd rather not hear the language. I saw a movie where this was done over the weekend.

As for seeing people say the words, they blur their mouths now.

Not on the USA Network - at least not with Mr. Robot. You can clearly see their un-blurred mouth saying F_K, even though the audio is bleeped.

 

[nathannah]

I'm sure it will still garner good ratings for FX, but they are really getting...uh...sloppy thirds or fourths. It amazes me that in this day and age, people are still willing to watch films on basic cable or the commercial networks, where they are edited for time and content.

I don't think they really look at the ratings (don't forget that FX is one of the few networks that shrugs at their overnights and waits for the week VOD numbers to come in ratings-wise), but it builds on their line "FX has the movies", along with having content for FXM which doesn't attract the 'I must see new films immediately' crowd, but the average person just looking for a good film to kill two hours with.

FX is much better about commercial breaks though, they're reasonable compared to Spike/any Viacom network, which can easily turn something like a 90-minute kids film into a three hour slogfest of General Insurance ads and other ridiculous advertisers.