Irishman

Joe Pesci (left) and Robert De Niro in "The Irishman." Photo: Niko Tavernise/Netflix via AP

Netflix will give "The Irishman" an exclusive theatrical release for about four weeks, providing theaters most of November to play Martin Scorsese's big-budget crime epic before it lands on the streaming service, AP's Jake Coyle reports.

• "The Irishman," about hitman and Jimmy Hoffa associate Frank Sheeran, will open theatrically Nov. 1 and begin streaming on Nov. 27.
• Why it matters: The release plans for one of Netflix's most expensive films yet had been a subject of much conjecture ever since the steaming service greenlit Scorsese's film. The major theater chains have refused to play movies that they don't get to play exclusively ahead of streaming.

The 210-minute film, which includes extensive de-aging visual effects to make its star-studded cast — including Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci — appear decades younger in some scenes, cost Netflix $160 million to make.