'The Hateful Eight' Extended Version Is Now On Netflix...as A Mini-Series?

Last month, we got word that the extended version of The Hateful Eight was coming to Netflix. This was a momentous occasion, because this version of the film had only previously been released in a limited theatrical roadshow version. The Netflix release would mark the first time the extended cut of Quentin Tarantino's violent Western would ever be available in home media form. Now, the extended version is here...sort of.

For some baffling reason, rather than provide this cut as a full movie, Netflix has broken it up into a mini-series with four episodes. The big question is: why?

Folks, I'm confused. I was excited to learn Netflix would be uploading the previously unreleased (on home video) Hateful Eight extended version. But...not like this. As you can see from the screenshot above, Netflix has broken Quentin Tarantino's lengthy movie up into four episodes. To be fair, Tarantino himself broke the film into these chapters – they appear as title cards on screen. But he also had them all cut together into one movie, and that's how the film played out. To specifically split that up into 50 minute episodes is altogether strange.

What is the reasoning behind this? Is Netflix concerned viewers wouldn't want to sit through 3 hour-plus movie in one sitting, and assumed this approach would make things more palatable? If so, did Quentin Tarantino have any input on this? For some reason, I have trouble believing he would be okay with this approach. But perhaps he has no say in the matter.

The extended cut, running at 187 minutes, was limitedly released in 70 mm film format theaters on December 25, 2015. On December 31, a "shorter" 168 minute cut was released wide. This cut is the version that made its way to home video, and is also available to stream on Netflix right now. The Hateful Eight is one of Tarantino's most underrated films, and the fact that this longer (and I'd even say superior) cut is available in some form now is exciting. Still, it would've been nice to have it all together as one film, as it originally played in theaters.

We've reached out to both Netflix and representatives of Tarantino for comment, and will update accordingly.