Story perspectives

Netflix Debuts “In the Hand of Dante” — Isaac Impresses

6/28/2026

Summary

Oscar Isaac Shines

Netflix streamed In the Hand of Dante after the film premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2025.
The movie adapts Nick Tosches’s 2002 novel about a stolen Dante manuscript.
The cast features actor Oscar Isaac, actor John Malkovich, actress Gal Gadot, actor Gerard Butler, director Martin Scorsese and actor Al Pacino.
Critics praise Isaac’s dual performance while faulting the film’s sluggish pacing and indulgent cinematography.

Summary

Netflix Streams

Netflix streams In the Hand of Dante across the United Arab Emirates without extra rental fees.
The UAE Basic, Standard and Premium Netflix plans cost AED 35, AED 49 and AED 71 per month.
The 153-minute R-rated film is recommended for viewers 17 and older and stars Gal Gadot in dual roles.
Regional licensing means the title may disappear from a subscriber’s library when traveling outside the UAE.

Summary

Netflix Flops

The $25 million production failed to appear in Netflix’s top-ten viewership chart during its debut week.
The film premiered out-of-competition at Venice in September 2025 and attracted minimal press.
Netflix added the movie to its catalog in June 2026 without promotion, limiting viewer awareness.
Director Julian Schnabel frames the black-and-white film as a critique of modern “gross commerce,” ending with a violent dock-front climax featuring Jason Momoa’s character.

Summary

Schnabel Directs

Julian Schnabel directs a dual-timeline film that uses black-and-white cinematography to contrast 14th-century Italy with modern crime.
Louise Kugelberg co-wrote the screenplay, shaping a narrative that weaves art, love, obsession and meaning across centuries.
Critics cite the unusually 153-minute runtime, lyrical-gritty tone and a convoluted structure that hinders audience engagement.

History

Historical Context

In 2013, Netflix launched the original series House of Cards, reshaping content distribution by debuting a high-budget show exclusively online. Co-produced by production company Media Rights Capital, the first season cost roughly $100 million, and CEO Reed Hastings promoted it as a subscriber-growth engine. Similarly, Netflix’s 2025-2026 release of Julian Schnabel’s In the Hand of Dante, a $25 million black-and-white film starring Oscar Isaac and Gal Gadot, bypasses theatrical windows and relies on streaming subscriptions. The precedent set by House of Cards signals that streaming platforms now dictate global release strategies, prompting regional licensing quirks and limited promotional pushes for costly productions.

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Oscar Isaac Shines

Netflix streamed In the Hand of Dante after the film premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2025.
The movie adapts Nick Tosches’s 2002 novel about a stolen Dante manuscript.
The cast features actor Oscar Isaac, actor John Malkovich, actress Gal Gadot, actor Gerard Butler, director Martin Scorsese and actor Al Pacino.
Critics praise Isaac’s dual performance while faulting the film’s sluggish pacing and indulgent cinematography.

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