Why Guy Ritchie Films Aren’t in Theaters in Some Countries

Guy Ritchie‘s newest movie sends an all-star cast back in time to the first British ‘black ops’ mission of World War II, which would help turn the tide of the war. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, starring Henry Cavill, Alex Pettyfer, Hero Fiennes-Tiffin, Alan Ritchson, Babs Olusanmokun, Eiza González, Babs Olusanmokun, and Cary Elwes, follows the exploits of the Special Operations Executive, an unofficial task force on a mission to sabotage Nazi U-Boat operations and change the course of the war.

Anticipation around the film has been building for months, and the movie is finally available to the public… well, depending on where you live. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is currently screening in U.S. theaters, but international audiences (including those in Guy Ritchie’s home country of England) will have to wait a little longer. Not only are they forced to wait, they won’t be able to watch it on the big screen.

Prime Video Has Exclusive Distribution Rights to Guy Ritchie’s Films Outside the U.S.

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Imagine yourself as a cinephile living outside the U.S. (or you may already be one). You’ve just watched the trailer for The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, devoured all the interviews you can find (including MovieWeb’s exclusive chat with Babs Olusanmokun, Eiza González, and Cary Elwes included), and gone online to purchase your tickets. But the film is nowhere to be found on your local cinema’s website! That has been the case for many Guy Ritchie fans outside of America.

While The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is getting a full theatrical release in the U.S. (courtesy of Lionsgate), Prime Video has exclusive rights to distribute the movie internationally. Irritatingly, the film is being withheld from international cinemas and will stream exclusively on Prime Video. This is nothing new, and modern audiences have come to accept streaming-exclusive releases, especially in the wake of streaming platforms like Netflix and Prime Video producing their own content. However, international audiences are frustrated that their viewing experience feels downgraded, compared to American audiences, simply due to their region.

All of this could be forgiven by fans if Prime Video had announced a streaming premiere date for The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, but currently, the international release date is still unconfirmed. While U.S. fans are enjoying watching Henry Cavill and Alan Ritchson mindlessly blow up Nazis, international audiences are left in the dark about when they’ll be able to watch the film.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare Isn’t the First Guy Ritchie Film Withheld from International Cinemas

As frustrating as this is, international audiences have become accustomed to missing out on watching Guy Ritchie’s films on the big screen. 2021’s Wrath of Man kick-started the trend. Like The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, Prime Video held the international distribution rights to the film and elected to release it directly on their streaming platform. The same happened with Ritchie’s Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre and The Covenant. Both films received drastically less press overseas and were quietly dropped into Prime Video’s near-endless library of movies.

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The only separating factor between Wrath of Man and Guy Ritchie’s more recent films is that the Jason Statham-led action thriller was initially scheduled for release in international cinemas. However, Prime Video was reportedly concerned about the popularity of cinemas during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, plans to release Wrath of Man in international cinemas were scrapped, and the movie was added to Prime Video’s catalog.

Films like Oppenheimer, Barbie, and, more recently, Dune: Part Two have proven that the theatrical experience is returning to its former popularity. However, Prime Video is still withholding The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare from international cinemas.

British Audiences Are Frustrated By Prime Video’s Release Strategy

Guy Ritchie catapulted himself into the spotlight with Snatch and Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels. Both films are distinctively British, not just from their character’s accentuated cockney accents but also through Ritchie’s signature style of witty humor. As a result, Ritchie has garnered a cult following from British audiences. These fans have felt somewhat betrayed by the lack of theatrical release for Ritchie’s films in the UK.

One fan recently took to Reddit to vent their frustrations, asking “Does anyone else get annoyed that new Guy Ritchie films don’t get released in UK cinemas now?” One user responded, in typically British fashion, “Yeah, really pisses me off. He’s a British director too!” Another raised the point of international audiences having to wait to watch Ritchie’s films, saying, “It wouldn’t annoy me as much if we got it same day (or at least close to it) as the US release. Feels like we have to wait ages.”

Guy Ritchie’s international fans hope something will change in the future, and the director’s works will receive theatrical releases outside the U.S. Sadly, though, with The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (a movie that seems tailor-made for the big-screen experience) receiving the same treatment, this has become the new normal for Guy Ritchie’s films. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is currently screening in U.S. theaters. There is no news of an international release date yet.