Netflix Bets Big on 'Misty Green' and 'Possible Love' for Oscar Season

Netflix is treating November as a strategic launchpad for its Academy Awards campaign, prioritizing two international dramas that aim for best actor and best actress nominations. The platform is betting heavily on 'Misty Green' and 'Gentle Monster' to establish its prestige footprint before the holiday viewing season peaks.

Chris Rock’s 'Misty Green' arrives on Netflix on November 9. The film features Rosalind Eleazar in a leading role as a Hollywood actor seeking redemption. The movie premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, where it generated immediate attention for Eleazar’s performance. Although A24 distributes the film, it is streaming on Netflix due to Rock’s established relationship with the service.

Lea Seydoux stars in 'Gentle Monster,' which hits Netflix on November 18. The film, directed by Marie Kreutzer, follows a concert pianist whose life is disrupted by a police visit to her country home. Netflix intends to push Seydoux for a best actress nomination. The movie also features Laurence Rupp as her husband, a character suffering from severe burnout.

HBO Max is countering with 'Tony,' a biographical drama about chef Anthony Bourdain that stars Dominic Sessa. The film earned nearly $20 million at the global box office during the summer and releases on the platform on November 20. It is timed to coincide with the Thanksgiving holiday, a period when streaming platforms often see a surge in viewership.

Prime Video releases 'Madden' on November 18, a sports drama directed by David O. Russell. Nicolas Cage portrays John Madden, the former Oakland Raiders coach and television commentator. The cast includes Christian Bale as Al Davis and Kathryn Hahn as Madden’s wife, Virginia. The film covers Madden’s transition from leading the Raiders to a Super Bowl victory to his three-decade career in broadcast media.

Apple TV+ offers two distinct titles in the month. Sian Heder’s 'Being Heumann' streams on November 13. The film is based on a memoir and depicts a 28-day protest led by an activist with over 100 disabled people. The goal of the protest was to enforce federal accessibility laws. Chris Pratt and Jude Hill star in 'Way of the Warrior Kid,' which arrives on the same platform on November 25.

Other major releases include Peter Berg’s war drama 'The Mosquito Bowl' on Netflix, which launches on November 25. The film stars Nicholas Galitzine and Bill Skarsgård as college football players who enlist in the Marines after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Peacock releases Paul Greengrass’s 'The Uprising' on November 6, a historical thriller set after the Black Plague that stars Andrew Garfield.

The month also includes family-friendly and genre-specific films. Netflix releases the animated musical 'Steps' and the documentary 'Avedon' on November 11. Hulu adds 'Super Troopers 3' and the drama 'Couture,' which stars Angelina Jolie as a director dealing with a cancer diagnosis. These releases fill out a slate that blends award contenders with commercial entertainment.