WEST ORANGE, N.J. — America’s film industry flickered to life in this state with a chip on its shoulder.
In 1888, inventor Thomas A. Edison began developing a motion picture camera at his West Orange laboratory. His crew built an odd-shaped soundstage — giving birth to moviemaking. But soon, New Jersey lost the action to flashier New York and, then, the industry famously moved west to sunny Los Angeles, where it prospered for a century.
But filmmakers are back in New Jersey, and production is booming again.
Film activity in Los Angeles has plummeted to historic lows, with devastating consequences for crews and vendors. This series examines how L.A. lost its dominant perch as a film and TV destination and what can be done to bring Hollywood back home.
At a time when filming in Los Angeles has plunged to historic lows, New Jersey has soared, becoming one of the nation’s hottest film destinations and squeezing into the limelight of its bigger neighbor across the Hudson River.
State leaders have rolled out the red carpet. They have adopted aggressive tax credits and awarded up to $387 million to Netflix to build a $1-billion studio complex at Ft. Monmouth, a former U.S. Army base near the Jersey Shore. More than 80 buildings have been bulldozed, and on a recent afternoon, towering yellow cranes dotted the loam as soundstages, mills and office space began to take shape.
Less than 10 years ago, total movie and TV production spending in New Jersey was a mere $67 million, according to the state’s Economic Development Authority. By 2025, industry spending in the Garden State had reached $1.2 billion, as reported by production data firm ProdPro, behind only California, New York and Georgia.
Lionsgate Studios is developing six soundstages on the site of a former housing complex in Newark, N.J.
(Aristide Economopoulos / For The Times)
Meanwhile, California’s film spending declined 37% to $5.2 billion from 2021 to 2025.
Nearly three dozen major films and TV projects were produced in New Jersey in 2025, double the count of five years ago, ProdPro said.
Adam Sandler and Chris Rock have been shooting a comedy sequel, “Grown Ups 3,” for Netflix. Actor-director Dan Levy and his crew turned a Metuchen video arcade into a yarn-and-crafts store for their Netflix series “Big Mistakes.” Last month, George Clooney and Annette Bening were spotted at Baron’s Drug Store in Westfield, filming scenes for an upcoming movie.
Prolific TV showrunners Michelle and Robert King are making their new CBS drama, “Cupertino,” in a converted warehouse in Kearny, on the banks of the Hackensack River.
“We are welcome here. … The governor of New Jersey came to our set,” Robert King said in an interview. “They really want the talent coming in and all of the infrastructure that gets built up around it.”
Jon Crowley, former director of New Jersey’s Motion Picture & Television Commission, noted the irony of how the state was winning back a business that had shifted more than a century ago to Hollywood. Then, industry pioneers balked at paying the steep licensing fees to Edison’s Motion Picture Patents Co. for use of cameras, projectors and Kodak film stock.
“Taxes drove the filmmakers away and now, tax incentives are bringing them back again,” Crowley said.
How New Jersey became a Hollywood player
New Jersey’s Hollywood revival was years in the making.
There were early stumbling blocks. Former Gov. Chris Christie vetoed bills to reinstate tax credits and, in 2011, he blocked a $420,000 credit for MTV’s loud and boozy reality show “Jersey Shore,” saying taxpayers shouldn’t foot the bill for a “project which does nothing more than perpetuate misconceptions about the State and its citizens.”
Another problem was that New Jersey had been somewhat typecast as run-down. HBO audiences had come to view the state that produced Bruce Springsteen, Frank Sinatra, Jon Bon Jovi and Joe Pesci through a lens of a particular mob family.
“Most people, when they think of Jersey, they think of the rusty-bridge opening from ‘The Sopranos,’” Crowley said. “They don’t have a picture in their mind of our beaches, our snow-capped mountains, our small towns, our big cities — and the open farmland.”
Michael Imperioli, left, James Gandolfini and Tony Sirico star in Season 2 of “The Sopranos,” the popular HBO series set in New Jersey.
(HBO)
Former Gov. Phil Murphy, first elected in 2017, thought the state was leaving money on the table. At the time, TV and movie production was surging in New York, California’s biggest rival.
The Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown,” starring Timothée Chalamet, was one of New Jersey’s most significant projects for 2024, with 60 filming days in the state.
(Macall Polay / Searchlight Pictures)
“We felt, you know what, we’ve got as much talent as anybody,” Murphy told The Times. “We’ve got the best location that money could buy.”
New Jersey could pull New York’s Broadway, film and TV talent for union shoots within the city’s Thirty-Mile Zone, beyond which producers must pay extra costs for hotels and other travel expenses.
What’s more, an estimated 20% of New York-area film crews live in New Jersey.
“We’re a big pro-union state and … this is a big union industry,” Murphy said. “There was no reason why we couldn’t be claiming a big slice.”
His team got to work by prioritizing economic incentives that would attract private sector investment.
“Putting Jersey back on the map was a big part of our administration’s energies,” said Murphy, who left office in January after two terms. “Film, television and digital led the way.”
He and Tim Sullivan, then the state’s economic development chief, flew to Los Angeles, toured major studios and met with top executives to size up the needs of the fast-changing business. They wanted to duplicate a modern studio complex — Great Point Studios — that had just opened in Yonkers, N.Y.
Great Point Studios founder Robert Halmi, a New York movie producer — who worked alongside his late father to create hundreds of TV shows, movies and miniseries, including “Lonesome Dove,” “Gulliver’s Travels” and “Alice in Wonderland” — recalled his early interactions with Murphy.
“His pitch was: ‘What would it take to get you guys to come to New Jersey?’” Halmi said in a recent interview.
Halmi got to the point.
“Shows follow the money, and the money in this instance is tax incentives,” Halmi said.
Robert Halmi, founder and CEO of Great Point Studios, is leading the construction of six soundstages for Lionsgate Studios in Newark, N.J.
(Aristide Economopoulos / For The Times)
With Murphy’s backing, New Jersey in 2018 adopted transferable tax credits of up to 35% for companies that film in the state.
The state has since bolstered its program, allowing a portion of salaries of actors and other big wage earners to be included in the tax credit calculation unlike California, which excludes these above-the-line costs and also has per-project caps. And unlike with neighbor New York, producers do not need to shoot in a certified film stage to qualify.
The state became a canvas two years ago for the Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown,” from Walt Disney’s Searchlight Pictures. The Oscar-nominated movie, starring Timothée Chalamet, filmed over 60 days in dozens of locations, including Jersey City, which stood in for 1960s Greenwich Village.
Steven Spielberg’s sci-fi thriller “Disclosure Day,” from Universal Pictures, also shot across New Jersey and New York last year. So did the just-released Sylvester Stallone underdog biopic, “I Play Rocky.”
To spur long-term growth, New Jersey also gave three major entertainment companies preferential status as “studio partners”: Netflix, Paramount and Lionsgate, the Santa Monica-based studio that Halmi has worked with for years.
Those companies get a 40% base tax credit for qualified expenses, in return for making a 10-year commitment in the state, and access to an additional tax incentive pool of $150 million annually.
“Putting Jersey back on the map was a big part of our administration’s energies,” former New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said. “Film, television and digital led the way.”
(Seth Wenig / Associated Press)
New Jersey last year extended its tax incentive program to 2049. The film commission also worked with dozens of municipalities to streamline on-location permitting.
Leaders set a goal of building a sustainable industry.
“It’s not just dump-trucking money to create something out of nothing and then, as soon as the incentives dry up, it’s bye-bye,” said Evan Weiss, who became chief executive of the state’s Economic Development Authority this year.
But New Jersey lacked the infrastructure — production campuses, soundstages and nearby businesses that feed the industry, such as camera equipment rentals, lumber mills and wardrobe suppliers.
“Everyone gets excited when Timothée Chalamet is in town, but the program is about job creation: below-the-line jobs in things like trucking, carpentry, set design, hair and makeup, and catering,” Sullivan said.
So the state incentivized companies to build studio complexes.
“For bricks-and-mortar [projects] to work, you really need three key ingredients: the local crew base … local government support … and the third thing is tax incentives,” Halmi said. “New Jersey brought all those things to us basically on a silver platter.”
Great Point Studios is building six soundstages for Lionsgate at the site of the former Seth Boyden housing complex in Newark, N.J.
(Aristide Economopoulos / For The Times)
Halmi’s company, Great Point Studios, is building a $200-million, 270,000-square-foot complex in south Newark with Lionsgate Films as its anchor tenant. The location is strategic — minutes from Newark’s airport and 12 miles from Manhattan.
The 12-acre site is designed to support six soundstages, a mill, storage and office space. Construction has been in high gear to complete the project’s first phase by June.
‘We are welcome here.’
— “Cupertino” producer Robert King
On a recent morning, a parade of tractors hauling precast 12-inch-thick concrete slabs rumbled onto the property. Workers welded trusses to support 10,000- to 30,000-square-foot stages.
Local officials hope the project breathes life into a decayed district.
The development replaced a Depression-era public housing project, a notorious cluster of brick high-rises that were condemned because of crime and safety concerns. The buildings sat hollow for a decade. A nearby Anheuser-Busch brewery shut down in January after 75 years, leaving a hodgepodge of storefronts — a Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen, McDonald’s, an auto parts store and Focus On Jesus Bible Church.
Leon Lee grew up in Newark. The construction foreman surveyed the transformation with pride — and relief.
“It will give this area a nice facelift,” Lee said. “Businesses and stores will follow.”
Netflix takes over Ft. Monmouth
The biggest bet is about 40 miles away in bucolic Monmouth County.
Netflix is creating a massive compound on 292 acres at Ft. Monmouth, with significant help — up to $387 million — from state taxpayers.
For 94 years, Ft. Monmouth was home to the Army’s communications branch, the Signal Corps. The base served as test grounds for radio-equipped weather balloons and radar technology. Army homing pigeons once roosted here.
The base closed as part of a nationwide realignment.
“Ft. Monmouth was left for dead,” Murphy said.
The fallow 1,100-acre tract became a signature project of Murphy’s revitalization campaign. In 2022, Netflix agreed to pay $55 million for nearly a third of the real estate that straddles two boroughs, Eatontown and Oceanport. The acquisition was finalized late last year, and Netflix brought in crews to raze dozens of old military buildings.
Ft. Monmouth was the Signal Corps’ home for 94 years.
(Aristide Economopoulos / For The Times)
The Netflix project was part of the state’s Aspire economic development program, which has also been used to build housing and renovate hospitals.
The streamer plans to spend about $850 million to create a leafy campus with 12 soundstages to bring 500,000-square feet of studio space into central Jersey for Netflix productions.
A few historic Army structures, including soldier memorials, will remain on the grounds, which is a few miles from the seaside city of Long Branch, where Netflix co-Chief Executive Ted Sarandos was born.
The construction, and eventual studios, will create thousands of jobs and anchor what some have dubbed “Hollywood East.” The ambition is to erect a more modern and more spacious version of a Burbank movie lot, right off the Garden State Parkway.
“We are leveraging state resources to attract private investment, create good-paying jobs, support small businesses, and generate economic activity in communities across the state,” Gov. Mikie Sherrill said in a statement. “This remarkable growth demonstrates what is possible when government serves as a strategic partner in economic development.”
More than 80 buildings have been bulldozed at the former Ft. Monmouth to make room for new studios.
(Aristide Economopoulos / For The Times)
The first phase should be complete by next fall, bringing more capacity for Netflix, which already is the state’s largest producer. Last year, the streamer said it filmed nearly 20 productions in the state. It has received enhanced New Jersey tax credits since 2024.
“Everyone wants us to succeed: the governor’s office, the mayor of the 6,000-person town of Eatontown and the labor unions,” said Will Castleberry, Netflix’s head of state regulatory and production policy. “We have gone into a place where we’re all working together to do something pretty cool.”
Netflix’s comedy series “Big Mistakes,” with Dan Levy, Boran Kuzum and Taylor Ortega, films in New Jersey.
(Spencer Pazer / Netflix)
Netflix is building 12 soundstages at the former Ft. Monmouth in Eatontown, N.J.
(Aristide Economopoulos / For The Times)
New Jersey’s film industry was among the fastest growing in the country last year, gaining nearly 2,000 jobs. Officials expect another surge once the Lionsgate, Netflix and other studios open, easing a shortage of studio space that has prompted some projects to film in New York.
“We’re looking at new studio stage space right now to help fulfill that demand,” said Scott Levy, owner of Eastern Effects, which converted the warehouse in Kearny into a cavernous stage, which CBS leased for “Cupertino.”
“But you’re talking a very expensive real estate market, and a very costly conversion,” he said.
Scott Levy’s Eastern Effects converted a warehouse in Kearny, N.J., into a soundstage that is now home to CBS’ legal drama “Cupertino.”
(Aristide Economopoulos / For The Times)
Lenders have been rattled by the misfortunes of some independent studio owners, including Culver City-based Hackman Capital Partners, which defaulted on loans to purchase the former CBS-Radford lot in Studio City and Kaufman Astoria Studios in New York — Paramount Pictures’ original home — after a nationwide production contraction.
“Nobody wants to over-commit and then get stuck: doing the right thing for the industry, but then being left with a problem,” Levy said.
The most ambitious studio project remains a dream at the foot of the Bayonne Bridge.
This is where French hedge fund manager and investor Arpad “Arki” Busson plans to build 1888 Studios, a $1.2-billion film and TV complex on the site of a former Chevron oil field and refinery.
Busson drew inspiration from L.A.’s historic studio lots. Architecture giant Gensler designed the 58-acre project to feature 17 buildings with an Art Deco aesthetic, as well as a water tower, bungalows, commissaries and a public promenade along the waterfront.
“We want to really create a home for content makers, a place where they feel that creativity is bursting,” Busson said on a recent afternoon as he walked the perimeter of the vacant parcel as winds whipped in from Newark Bay.
His firm, New York-based Togus Urban Renewal, controls an additional 20 acres of water, where he plans to park barges to be used as floating back lots.
“We want to offer the best facility,” Busson said. “A place where crews feel that it is a welcoming place to work.”
A rendering of 1888 Studios’ New Jersey production facility, which is in development.
(Togus Urban Renewal)
It took more than two years to prepare the land, a brownfield site. More than 1 million cubic yards of fill was trucked in to elevate the property by 16 feet.
New Jersey has promised a 10-year Aspire Program tax credit of up to $400 million for the construction.
After an introduction by state officials, Paramount signed on to become 1888 Studios’ anchor tenant, committing to lease nearly 300,000 square feet.
The arrangement allows Paramount and CBS productions, now owned by David Ellison’s Skydance, to qualify for the enhanced 40% transferable tax credit.
December’s groundbreaking ceremony was a headline-making event, drawing Murphy and other luminaries, including model-businessperson Elle Macpherson, who shares two sons with Busson. One is a studios’ project manager.
The family is seeking financing to begin construction next spring and open in 2029.
The 1888 Studios project is located next to New Jersey’s Bayonne Bridge.
(Aristide Economopoulos / For The Times)
Busson plans to name structures after notable New Jersey residents, including rocker Bon Jovi.
The studios’ name is a nod to the year Edison applied for a patent for the first movie camera.
“This was the place of birth of the industry, and clearly, the idea is to bring it back to Jersey,” Busson said.
Kearny playing Cupertino
Robert and Michelle King, both California natives, didn’t consider filming “Cupertino” in their home state, even though the legal drama is ostensibly set in the heart of Silicon Valley.
They’ve long produced their shows in New York, including “The Good Wife” and “The Good Fight.” Their CBS crime solver, “Elsbeth,” is set in the city, and they’d envisioned producing their latest legal drama near the same complex.
But CBS executives suggested they check out New Jersey for “Cupertino.”
“We had a scout go out, going: ‘Oh, dear God, what are we going to find?’” Robert King said. “My memory of San José is [of] low-slung architecture — not skyscrapers.”
The CBS legal drama “Cupertino” is being filmed around New Jersey, including a converted warehouse in Kearny.
(Elizabeth Fisher / CBS)
But they quickly warmed to the new location.
“There were some distinctive buildings where we felt: ‘OK, that is a California look,’” King said. “We started shooting in March, so we had to scrape snow out from around an International House of Pancakes … but after that, it’s been pretty easygoing.”
Actors who live in Manhattan can travel to the 36,000-square-foot stage in Kearny in about 30 minutes. The Broadway performers whom the Kings like to cast as courtroom judges can make it to the city in time for their evening curtain calls.
“So far, so good,” Michelle King said. “It was a little bit easier to find some of the locations, weirdly, to match for Northern California in New Jersey than it might have been in New York.”
That’s a point of pride for officials in New Jersey.
“We are always happy to beat New York,” said Weiss, the Economic Development Authority chief. “We’re on our way to do that … but at the same time, we are very connected.”
Stephen Graham featured in the critically acclaimed series (Image: SKY)
Fans might have said farewell to Cillian Murphy in his iconic Peaky Blinders role — and it could be a long wait until the sequel drops.
Whilst Cillian Murphy wrapped up Tommy’s story in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, a new gangster drama will pick up where the movie left off. Last summer, Netflix confirmed a spinoff is on the way.
Set in the 1950s, the sequel will focus on the next generation of Peaky Blinders: Tommy Shelby’s sons Duke (Jamie Bell) and Charles (Charlie Heaton of Stranger Things). A release date hasn’t been confirmed, but Netflix has greenlit the show for 12 episodes split over two series.
“Once again it will be rooted in Birmingham and will tell the story of a city rising from the ashes of the Birmingham blitz,” said show creator Steven Knight. “The new generation of Shelbys have taken the wheel, and it will be a hell of a ride.”
Until then, a few shows come well recommended by Peaky Blinders fans.
House of Guinness
From the same creator of Peaky Blinders is another family saga: House of Guinness. The drama begins in Dublin in 1868 with the death of the Guinness family patriarch. His four children — “each with dark secrets to hide” — hold the fate of the family brewery empire in their hands. All eight episodes of the first series are free to binge on Netflix now.
Naturally, viewers have drawn comparisons to Peaky Blinders. One said: “It was a little slow to get into, but once you understand the characters it’s a solid 7/10 (if Peaky Blinders is 10/10).”
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Another wrote: “The whole vibe of the scenery is certainly familiar, especially the slowed down walks through the factories. This show (HoG) is less violent, had more of an ensemble cast balanced storyline than a single mastermind.”
A third said: “I binged the entire first season in a day and, while enjoyable and I’m looking forward to another season, it’s def no Peaky Blinders. But I guess that’s a ‘good’ thing? Because Wright can never top his Birmingham-based opus.”
House of Guinness is streaming on Netflix.
Boardwalk Empire
Boardwalk Empire, a gritty Prohibition-era show from HBO, is a highly rated show set in an overlapping time period.
The story kicks off on the day alcohol is outlawed in 1920. Over in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Steve Buscemi stars as “Nucky” Thompson, a corrupt senior politician and the biggest bootlegger in the city. Expect to see some historic figures like Al Capone along the way.
It’s got star power. From the late great Michael K. Williams (The Wire, Lovecraft Country) and Stephen Graham, to the director of the first episode — Martin Scorsese — there is a lot to like.
To some fans, it’s the better show of the two. One fan explained: “Peaky Blinders has some great scenes – and Cillian Murphy is a captivating leading man. And this might sound like blasphemy on a Peaky Blinders subreddit, but I think Boardwalk Empire is easily the better show overall.
“B. Empire also had a lot of exceptional actors (e.g., Buscemi, Michael Shannon, Jeffrey Wright, Stephen Graham etc.) and really satisfying story arcs in most seasons. Excellent cinematography and music, too.”
Boardwalk Empire requires an HBO Max subscription, now available in the UK.
MobLand
This British drama, currently in its second series, is about a crime family headed by their patriarch Conrad Harrigan (Pierce Brosnan). Peaky Blinders alum Tom Hardy plays Harry Da Souza, a street-smart fixer who cleans up the family’s messes.
The first series follows a bloody gang war between the Harrigans and a rival family — the Stevensons. As tensions rise, Harry must do what he can to prevent an all-out war and shield the Harrigans from police scrutiny.
“If you like Peaky Blinders, I think you should try MobLand,” wrote a fan of both shows.
“It’s set in modern day but other than that the tone, the intrigue, the scheming, the brutality, all of them remind me very much of what I love about Peaky Blinders.
“Plus it’s got Alfie in it (Tom Hardy technically) which is always a very good bonus. And without spoiling any plot points there is a very Polly-like character played by Helen Mirren. Anyway give it a try and see what you think!”
MobLand can be streamed on Paramount+ via Prime Video.
To make “North of North,” creators Stacey Aglok MacDonald and Alethea Arnaquq-Baril had to do what no one had done before: build a full-scale scripted TV production in the Arctic, where infrastructure is scarce and costs are high.
Co-commissioned by CBC, Netflix and Indigenous network APTN, the acclaimed comedy stars Anna Lambe as Siaja, a young Inuk mother who leaves an unfulfilling marriage to reinvent her life in the close-knit fictional Arctic community of Ice Cove. For the creators, the series could only be filmed in Iqaluit — the capital of Nunavut, the northernmost territory of Canada.
“As soon as you visit the Arctic, you’re like, ‘Northern Manitoba’s not going to cut it. Northern Ontario’s not going to cut it,’” Arnaquq-Baril says. “And it’s not just the landscape — it’s also all the people, the houses. Everything is just a little different and unique and well worth all the logistical challenges of shooting up here.”
While CBC, Netflix and APTN all immediately saw the value in shooting in the Arctic, Aglok MacDonald says the executive producers still had to conduct their own “feasibility study” to prove it was possible. They had to demonstrate that local hotels could house the crew and that service providers and truck rentals were available. They also needed the city council’s permission to rent the Iqaluit Curling Club and convert it into a temporary studio for Season 1 — though it was big enough only for some of the sets, with no room for department or producer offices.
After “North of North” was officially ordered to series in March 2023, Aglok MacDonald and Arnaquq-Baril hired a producer, a year before prep would normally begin, to plan the procurement and transport of specific items months in advance. Wherever possible, materials were sent by sea during the annual short thaw to avoid expensive airfreight. For example, building materials and boxed water — which, Arnaquq-Baril says, was chosen over plastic bottles to leave “less toxic garbage in the Arctic” — were shipped by sealift.
Anna Lambe as on the set of “North of North” Season 2.
(Jasper Savage / CBC / APTN / Netflix)
Most sets were built in Toronto, disassembled and palletized to fit the cargo plane’s fuselage. Generators arrived drained of fuel and had to be restarted by a local. The pipes in portable washrooms would have frozen, so the production hired extra drivers to shuttle crew to their hotel bathrooms. Costume designers even used social media to ask travelers to bring items from Ottawa or Toronto.
What couldn’t be shipped had to be improvised. “Our grip department were like MacGyver,” Arnaquq-Baril says. For instance, the crew built the “Nunavut arm,” a jib mounted on a pickup truck’s flatbed to capture wide outdoor shots. A camera operator built a custom housing that kept his hands warm at –40 degrees Celsius while he maintained enough dexterity to fly a drone. Even hair and makeup had to adapt, since traditional hair spray stops working properly in that cold.
A lack of hotel space, however, nearly derailed “North of North” entirely. Production paused in Season 1 when a mining symposium took over the town’s hotels. In Season 2, which premiered on Netflix Thursday, a hotel renovation forced the producers to ship sets to Toronto and shoot those scenes on a soundstage, and pushed the Arctic shoot later in the year, leaving less time for postproduction. When the Iqaluit shoot finally began this March, Lambe and the creators recall, the temperature was also 20 C colder than in Season 1 — a jarring drop even by Arctic standards.
Aglok MacDonald says that many cast and crew members actually lost weight during the shoot. “Often, we’re standing still, but our bodies are still really working so hard to keep warm, and we’re out there for 13 hours a day in –39 C,” she explains. “Thankfully, our craft services [team] is feeding us warm food. Every time we call ‘cut,’ people are starting to do jumping jacks and doing what they can to keep their bodies moving. Even Inuit from our community would be watching us outside through their windows and being like, ‘Oh my God, you guys are crazy. Are you guys OK?’”
“We have a taste of what hunters do every day now,” Arnaquq-Baril quips. “They go out in the cold every single day, all year round, year after year, and we’re just doing it for six weeks at a time. It was grueling. I don’t know how they do it.”
Maika Harper as Neevee, from left, Anna Lambe as Siaja, Braeden Clarke as Kuuk, Jay Ryan as Alistair are filmed for “North of North.”
(Jasper Savage / CBC / APTN / Netflix)
“North of North” has been a boon to the local and national economy. In Season 1, 500 Iqaluit locals (from a population of around 8,000), including the mayor, appeared as background actors, while the production employed more than 300 Canadian crew members and over 225 vendors, more than 60 of them from Nunavut. Netflix estimates the first season generated more than $23 million in economic activity.
Having seen non-Indigenous filmmakers come to the Arctic and offer little in return, the Inuit co-creators, who both live in Nunavut, were determined to give back to their community. Most notably, they created apprenticeship programs across various departments — including camera, sound, production design, catering — to teach Inuit and other local northern residents about the filmmaking process.
Lambe, raised in Iqaluit, grew up with many of the people who are now working on the show. “When you’re on the outside of [the industry], you have no idea that lighting tech or grip is a job, or that craft services are an integral part of a production,” she says. “If they don’t want to be in front of the camera or writing or directing, there’s so many other spaces that they can work in and dream about and pursue.”
After the extended Season 2 stint on a Toronto soundstage, Aglok MacDonald and Arnaquq-Baril secured funding for a new studio from the Indigenous Screen Office, the Government of Nunavut, the Canadian government and local Inuk businessmen. Construction is now 75% complete, and the “North of North” team hopes to have it ready in time for a potential Season 3. “We’re so excited for it to be done, adding to the infrastructure of the community instead of just straining it so much,” Arnaquq-Baril says.
The three-part documentary series has already secured top spot in the top 10 charts
Natalee Holloway vanished on a graduation trip to Aruba (Image: Netflix)
True crime fans are being urged to stop what they are doing and binge watch a brand new release that is guaranteed to have your jaw on the floor.
There are plenty of choices at our disposal when it comes to deciding what to watch, but streaming giant Netflix has recently dropped a brand new true crime documentary that everyone needs to get on their watch list.
In what has been dubbed an emotional rollercoaster of a series, the brand new release is from the same producers as Maternal Instinct as it plunges viewers into a 20 year fight for answers.
Titled Taken: Natalee Holloway, the three-part documentary was released on November 4 and has already secured the top spot in the top 10 Series in the UK Today.
An official synopsis teases: “On May 30, 2005, 18-year-old Natalee Holloway vanished on a high school graduation trip to Aruba — and never came home. What followed was years of unanswered questions, a missing teenager, and a mother’s relentless fight for the truth.
“Now, over 20 years later, Natalee’s mother, Beth, is ready to tell the complete story. With exclusive, unprecedented access to Beth and those who were with Natalee when she vanished, this three-part documentary series from Story Syndicate (Maternal Instinct, Titan: The Oceangate Disaster) and directors Dani Sloane and Matthew Galkin is the definitive account of a case that gripped a nation and never let go.
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“It’s a story of a mother who refused to stop searching, an investigation that spanned continents, and a daughter whose memory endures. This is Natalee’s story, told at last in full.”
Spanning across three episodes, viewers are already hooked as one person admitted on TikTok: “I am disgusted by this documentary.” They later added: “This documentary takes you on a whirlwind of events, literally 20 years until they get answers.”
In a separate video, another true crime fan praised: “You need to stop whatever your doing, cancel all of your plans and forget about everything else on Netflix because this documentary is about to be number one trending.
“I’m telling you right now everybody is going to be talking about this documentary, my jaw was on the floor watching it.” Another replied: “I’ve just finished it can’t believe what I’ve watched.”
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Over on Facebook, one person penned: “I just watched Taken: The Natalee Holloway Story on Netflix, and I am absolutely disgusted and heartbroken.”
Another echoed: “No I have the full body chills right now. Cannot believe it took that long. And the WhatsApp literally had me screaming”, as a third added: “Natalee’s case has always haunted me.”
On IMDb, a reviewer echoed: “This is a shocking, disturbing and often sickening story, but an important one to tell… Ultimately, this is as much a story about a mother’s love and determination as it is about a horrific crime. A compelling documentary that stays with you long after the final episode.”
Taken: Natalee Holloway can be streamed on Netflix
One of the biggest revelations was Reed’s involvement in a historic mission in Berlin, which went disastrously wrong due to Reed’s rash actions. Wildflower had been Reed’s codename during the operation, and viewers witnessed the seasoned undercover agent’s past secrets unravel through various flashbacks.
Fans also discovered that whilst in Berlin, Reed had a daughter called Vita, who went missing after the botched mission. Here is all you need to know about what happened at the end of Black Doves season two.
Helen told Wallace the truth
Away from Reed’s storyline, newly appointed Prime Minister Wallace (Andrew Buchan) was growing suspicious of his wife after officer Jim Perryman (Adam Best) warned him that Helen was not who she said she was. Perryman had received tip-offs about Helen’s true identity, which he passed on to Wallace.
One of the biggest pieces of evidence that exposed Helen was a photo of her best friend Sam, who had been present at the killing of Russian oligarch Alexi Chernov (Goran Kostić). Alexi had been poisoned by Sam and fellow agent Eleanor (Gabrielle Creevy) during a dinner with Wallace and Helen. Wallace immediately recognised Sam and therefore confronted Helen about her real identity.
Later, when Reed’s daughter Vita (Sylvia Hoeks) threatened Helen with the deaths of her children, she admitted she had hidden a lot from him and he was right to have been suspicious of her, but in that moment, he needed to trust her.
Wallace lied for Helen when Perryman asked him what had happened between them both, so he chose to protect her rather than give her up. As the season ended, Wallace and Helen were seen sitting down to talk about Helen’s identity when the screen cut to black.
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Reed’s daughter Vita was unveiled
In the final episode, it appeared Sam, who had been tasked with killing Reed under rogue organisation Kestrel’s orders, had completed his mission. He was offered a place at Kestrel, which he rejected, as it transpired he had actually handed Reed over to Kestrel alive.
During an attack at the peace summit, Alexi Chernov’s wife Katia (Hoeks) was captured and taken to where Reed was being held. In a major twist, it was revealed Katia was in fact Reed’s estranged daughter, Vita, who had come back to get revenge on her mother for abandoning her as a child.
Vita explained how she had been forced to grow up in a Soviet orphanage and she wanted to make the Black Doves pay. In another vengeful act, she told Helen to kill her husband, the Prime Minister, and own up to who she really was, otherwise her children would die.
Her son and daughter’s childminder, Marie (Molly Chesworth), was a rat Reed had planted to get inside information about the family, and Katia used this as a threat against Helen, who she knew would never put her children at risk. Helen pretended to shoot Wallace before she and Sam let him escape and went to save her children from Marie.
Meanwhile, agents Williams (Ella Lily Hyland), Eleanor and Laila (Ambika Mod) took on Kestrel to save Reed, and she managed to get away unscathed. She found her injured daughter, who asked why she never looked for her.
Reed admitted she’d hoped her daughter had just become a normal person and she wanted her to have peace, which she would never have with Reed in her life. After being caught in the crossfire, Vita died from her injuries.
With the immediate threats out of the picture, Sam proposed that he, Helen and her children run away, but Helen knew she wasn’t out of the woods yet. Sadly, Sam was not of the same mindset, and he told Helen he was leaving as he had no reason to stay.
While Sam was seen returning to Italy, Reed asked Helen to take down Kestrel leader Patrick (Sam Riley). Viewers will have to wait and see whether Helen completes her mission, confesses all to Wallace, and Sam returns to offer assistance once more.
Netflix fans have claimed they are hooked from the very first scene
12:50, 04 Nov 2026Updated 12:50, 04 Nov 2026
The show has been compared to High Potential(Image: ABC)
Netflix’s latest addition has left fans immediately hooked and binging as many episodes as possible.
An ‘intense’ crime thriller is now available on the streaming giant’s platform. Some have already claimed that it is better than other popular shows such as High Potential and The Rookie.
Dozens of episodes of Will Trent have recently been added to the streamer’s ever changing library. The show is based on a series of novels written by Karin Slaughter. The author penned a dozen books featuring the character as recently as 2024.
Like the original stories, the series follows Special Agent Will Trent who was abandoned at birth and endured a harsh coming-of-age in Atlanta’s overwhelmed foster-care system. This had a lasting effect on him and, despite being dyslexic, he rose the ranks at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
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He is highly observant and determined to make sure that nobody else feels as he did. Despite achieving the highest clearance rate of cases in his department, he finds this causes some friction on the team.
While it originally aired in the US back in 2023, the first three seasons of the show are now available on Netflix for UK based subscribers. Even better news is that if users find themselves binge watching it quickly enough, they can find the fourth over on Disney+, with a fifth season expected to release early next year.
Some even suggest that it is superior to similar crime dramas, in particular a few very popular ones considered to be in the more ‘cosy crime’ subgenre. A fan shared on Reddit : “I think most people will agree with this, but I haven’t seen it mentioned before, so… Will Trent gets lumped together with The Rookie and High Potential but I think it’s better, deeper, darker and funnier than the others.”
Another agreed and replied: “I agree with you. I only lump together those other shows with Will Trent because they’re the same kind of procedural drama. I think Will Trent is of a higher calibre, though. Also, as a mother through (private) adoption, I think the foster care angle is very well done, for the most part.”
One fan claimed: “I think Will Trent stands alone. It is truly the most unique show, with the most intense scenes — I feel the same way about them that I do when watching The Pitt.”
Someone else added: “I jumped so hard in the first episode! I was hooked and couldn’t stop! I gobbled up the first three episodes voraciously! I have been binge watching the series since.”
Other viewers have shared their recommendation online stating they were hooked from the first scene. Someone else made a different comparison as they posted: “I love this show it’s like Monk combined with Elementary. Quirky Sherlock type with a bad upbringing and makes it work despite his dyslexia and his on-again-off-again relationship with a fellow cop.”
The Netflix series has been deemed “so good” to watch at the weekend – and it’s gripping enough to keep you glued to your seats all night long. So have you seen it?
The Netflix series is available to stream now(Image: Netflix)
Netflix viewers say a show is so “addictive” it has them glued to seats all night long binge-watching every little bit of it. Finding a new show to watch can be a difficult job, especially if you have all the streaming platforms.
But if you swear by your Netflix subscription more than anything else, this show has been deemed a great watch for your weekend viewing marathon. Viewers claimed it’s so gripping that it has them sacrificing their sleep, ensuring they watch every second of it. So have you seen this drama miniseries yet?
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The show people are raving on about is called I Will Find You and it’s currently available to stream on Netflix UK.
In a TikTok post, one mum shared the suggestion with her followers as she said: “If you need a good watch this weekend, I recommend this! Omg was so bloody brilliant.”
Sharing a snippet of the beginning credits, the Netflix viewer added: “I couldn’t stop watching it until it was finished. Absolutely brilliant.”
Others agreed it was gripping as another commented: “I finished this tonight, wow what a series!”
What is the plot?
The American crime-drama miniseries is based on the 2023 novel by Harlan Coben which follows a father who was wrongfully sentenced to life in prison for his son’s death.
David Burroughs, who is played by Sam Worthington, was arrested and sentenced to life after the supposed murder. As he accepts his fate, his wife Cheryl (Erin Richards), leaves him and moves on with a new relationship.
But five years into his sentence, David receives a prison visit from Rachel Mills (Britt Lower), his former sister-in-law and a journalist, who shows him photo which can clear his name.
In the background of the picture taken at an amusement park, it clearly features a young boy with Matthew’s distinct facial birthmark.
As a result, David manages to orchestrate a daring prison break with the help of sympathetic inside allies to hunt down the truth, clear his name, and rescue his son Matthew.
Along the way, he uncovers a dangerous web of conspiracy, secrets and a cover-up. The series features a line-up of stars, which includes Sam Worthington, Britt Lower, Milo Ventimiglia, and Erin Richards.
I Will Find You premiered on Netflix UK back in June this year and all episodes are currently available to watch.
The epic war drama is based on a true story and viewers have hailed it an ‘outstanding masterpiece’ that’s ‘as good as Saving Private Ryan’ – it’s leaving Netflix on November 5.
The war film is being hailed as a ‘masterpiece’(Image: Warner Bros)
For most film fans when the subject of war films arises a handful of reliable titles dominate the conversation and establish the standard. Movies such as Saving Private Ryan, Black Hawk Down, and The Hurt Locker have long been regarded as masterworks in the genre, with discussions inevitably returning to these films.
However, audiences are now claiming there’s another war movie by a legendary actor and director that rivals, if not surpasses, the Holy Trinity referenced above.
Viewers have just a few more days remaining to watch the ‘masterpiece’ war drama, though, as the film is departing the Netflix library on November 5.
Featuring an outstanding Bradley Cooper in the central role – who has received endless praise for his titular performance in the picture – this 2014 war drama has been helmed by acting icon Clint Eastwood.
American Sniper is presently streaming on Netflix – and audiences simply cannot get enough of the war drama, reports the Express.
The picture’s official synopsis states: “Navy S.E.A.L. sniper Chris Kyle’s pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and turns him into a legend. Back home with his family after four tours of duty, however, Chris finds that it is the war he can’t leave behind.”
Sienna Miller plays the female lead of the picture alongside Cooper, and the leading duo are supported by Luke Grimes, Jake McDorman, Cory Hardrict, Kevin Lacz, Navid Negahban, and Keir O’Donnell in additional roles. American Sniper draws from the 2012 memoir of the same title written by war veteran Chris Kyle alongside Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice.
The war drama proved a colossal box office triumph, raking in $547 million against a production budget of roughly $59 million.
Beyond its commercial triumph, the picture garnered critical acclaim, securing six Academy Award nominations including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Actor for Cooper, while ultimately claiming an Oscar for Best Sound Editing.
Audiences are completely taken with the war drama, as one fan writes on Rotten Tomatoes: “Powerful, emotional and very gritty. Directed to a tee by Clint Eastwood and Bradley Cooper excels as usual exceptionally well in character. Top class cinematography and writing. Succeeds in gripping you to the point where you can almost experience the settings physically. Outstanding on absolutely every level. Truly a memorable movie about a memorable man.”
Another viewer said of the film: “I can’t remember a movie in the last decade, that was as riveting and captivating as “American Sniper.” I kept seeing the trailer on TV and when I finally went to see it, I was already jacked-up…and it delivered. A+ Script A+ Director A+ Lead Actor A+ Supporting Actors A+ Cinematographer. Eastwood, Cooper and the screenwriter made a great team…which eventually became a great film.”
While another audience review reads: “One of the best war movies of our time. The character is really in focus and has a lot of development which makes it stand out in the sea of meaningless war stories. Really emotional and intense throughout. Amazing performance from Bradley Cooper too.”
Critics have been left equally bowled over, as one writes: “… a mature film of the toll war takes on its warriors, and you should see it, regardless of your politics.”
While another reviewer noted: “What a surprise that rather than an uncritical testament to the might of the armed forces, Eastwood delivers this complex, conflicted and profoundly moving look at the military machine, and the toll it takes on the soldiers.”
A third critic added: “American Sniper is devastating on the emotional level, especially with a very buffed-up Bradley Cooper in the lead role.”
American Sniper is available to stream on Netflix till November 4.
A Netflix documentary has been described as ‘disturbing’ and ‘jaw-dropping’ by viewers, who say it’s ‘impossible to turn off’. Give it a go if you’re struggling to find something to watch
People have been struggling to switch it off (stock)(Image: Netflix)
Everyone with a Netflix subscription knows how overwhelming it can be to find something good to watch. And sometimes, they give up altogether, heading to bed without ever making it past the title screen.
But one user claims there’s no need to waste precious time searching on this occasion, as he’s got the ideal documentary recommendation – and believes everyone will soon be discussing it. EccyReviews, who watches and critiques films and television programmes across his social media channels, is encouraging Netflix subscribers to give Tell Me Who I Am a watch.
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What’s the plot?
The 2019 documentary chronicles the story of Alex Lewis, who suffered memory loss after an accident.
Its IMDb description reads: “Alex Lewis trusts his twin brother, Marcus, to tell him about his past only to discover that he’s hiding a dark secret about their childhood.”
Speaking about the documentary, EccyReviews said: “You’re going to be running to Netflix to go and watch this documentary because it is one of the most insane stories you will ever hear.
“Everyone I know who’s seen this documentary cannot stop talking about it. The documentary I’m talking about is called Tell Me Who I Am.
“It follows a young man who after a motorcycle accident, wakes up to find he has lost his complete memory.
“He doesn’t know who his brother is, who his father is or even his own mother. And when he returns home he knows that there is something strange going on in his house.
“After years and years of never really speaking about his past, he meets up with his brother across this table to find out his entire backstory.
“Now it is genuinely disturbing, emotional and jaw dropping once you hear what happened to him. And honestly, if you haven’t seen this documentary you are massively missing out. So get it on your watch list right now.”
Where to watch Tell Me Who I Am?
The documentary is available to stream on Netflix in a single viewing, with a runtime of one hour and 26 minutes.
If you’re more in to reading, the book is also available to purchase, having become a Sunday Times bestseller.
What do people say?
Commenting on the recommendation, one TikTok user said: “I don’t have the patience to watch full documentaries, but this actually had me glued to the tele, it’s so disturbing because it’s true, I’ll ask the question for everyone, would you have told him?”
Another added: “What an incredible story. Heartbreaking. An incredible watch.”
A third user said: “Watched this before and highly recommend… it’s so upsetting in parts but will keep you hooked.”
It tells the remarkable true story of a resistance hero and his courage in the face of terror during World War Two
Number 24 has been hailed as ‘outstanding’(Image: IMDB)
There is no shortage of films about the Second World War, but this “masterpiece”, now streaming on Netflix, tells the long-forgotten tale of one man’s extraordinary bravery in the face of unimaginable terror.
The Norwegian film draws on the real-life experiences of resistance fighter Gunnar Sønsteby during the conflict. Starring Sjur Vatne Brean in the lead role and helmed by director John Andreas Andersen, Number 24 charts Sønsteby’s journey from 1940 through to the end of the Second World War.
Taking its title from Sønsteby’s most frequently used code name, Number 24 delves into how the Oslo Group carried out sabotage operations and assassinations throughout the war. The film is narrated by an elderly Sønsteby as he recounts his remarkable experiences to a group of students.
Both film fans and critics alike are utterly captivated by this raw and gritty war film, which currently holds a perfect score on the film review site Rotten Tomatoes.
One critic wrote: “Based on the real-life story of Norwegian hero Gunnar Sønsteby, director John Andreas Andersen delivers a gripping, often violent thriller that highlights the best and worst of humankind.”, reports Wales Online.
Another said: “This biopic about Gunnar Sønsteby, the most highly decorated citizen in Norway, explores the moral grey areas during war under brutal invading forces. Switching between the past and the present, the film sensitively contrasts justice and necessity.”
Meanwhile a third added: “The director crafts a mostly patriotic picture of a man solely dedicated to duty. It’s an uncompromising approach that often makes for a stirring watch even through a narrow lens.”
Fans were equally effusive in their praise. One wrote: “The lead actor is phenomenal. As a man of laser focus and few words, Gunnar commands the screen through the smallest, most restrained expressions and every one of them lands. It’s a masterclass in subtlety, and he delivers a gripping, believable performance.”
Another said: “Well worth watching! Makes me want to go and learn more about this incredible person. You will need a tissue at the ending. You will also need to use your pause button to read the subtitles at the end – they do contain useful information.”
While a third contributed: “Important WWII story of resistance in Norway. Thought provoking and moving. Different points of view from being in different positions when war comes into your life, your family and your country.”
And another wrote: “WOW! WOW! ! . Fantastic in every way My wife and I loved this. So realistic and well acted, directed,etc. Watch,enjoy and respect the Norwegian patriots.”
Netflix has shared the first glimpse of their adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, which stars Jack Lowden in the role of Mr Darcy and The Crown star Emma Corrin as Elizabeth
The series is based on the classic novel by Jane Austin(Image: Netflix)
Netflix has shared the first glimpse of their adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. The streaming giant is behind a $60 million adaptation of the Jane Austen classic, and it is due for release in December.
The original novel was published in 1813 and has been adapted for the screen around 15 times, perhaps most notably in as a six-episode series in 1995, in which Colin Firth starred as Mr Darcy and Jenifer Ehle as his love interest Elizabeth Bennet.
Now, over 30 years later, Jack Lowden is to star as Mr Darcy whilst The Crown’s Emma Corrin will take on the role of Elizabeth. In the first look of the Netflix series, Lizzy (Emma Corrin) and Jane (Freya Mavor) open the trailer on the roof of Longbourn.
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Corrin is heard saying: “One day, Jane, I shall be either a governess and a spinster, or a wife and a mother.. And then, finally, we may talk about something else.”
Jane simply replies: “Such as what?” Mrs Bennet, played by Olivia Colman, utters the famed line “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.”
The series has been adapted by Dolly Alderton, who enjoyed success with her bestselling memoir Everything I Know About Love before it was turned into a BBC series.
She said “Pride and Prejudice is such a timeless story because of the emotions in the book; they are as pertinent now as they were in 1812.
“Embarrassment of your family, fear that you’re going to get left behind, fear that the world is not going to be a safe place for your children as it was for you, mortification that you judged someone incorrectly or that you had been misjudged. We go to that book to see our hearts reflected in it.”
“I always knew that I wanted it to be the opening line of the trailer, not only because I think it’s so relatable to women now who are looking to find the right partner and looking to find love, who are resentful of how much time it takes over their schedule and their brain, but also because it captures how much Lizzy is a character who’s working things out as she goes along.”
The official Netflix synopsis reads: “When wealthy bachelors arrive in their neighbourhood, the five Bennet sisters must navigate love, family, and society’s expectations to secure their futures.
“Jane falls for the charming Mr Bingley, while Elizabeth clashes with his proud friend Mr Darcy – but unexpected encounters and family scandals force Elizabeth to reconsider her feelings and discover the true nature of love.”
Pride and Prejudice arrives on Netflix on 3 December.
MATTHEW Perry’s five surviving Friends co-stars will not appear in a new Netflix documentary about the late actor, with the filmmaker behind the series confirming they were approached.
Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer are all absent from The One About Matthew Perry, which arrives on Netflix on October 27.
Robertson also told Page Six there were no hard feelings towards the stars, or Perry’s family members who declined to participate.
“I think everyone grieves in their own way. And I understand why someone might feel that this isn’t the moment to talk,” Robertson told the outlet.
A source also previously told Page Six that the stars did not want to publicly revisit their grief over Perry’s death, with Aniston said to have found the prospect particularly difficult.
“She isn’t going to sit down and start crying on camera. She doesn’t want to relive it and have it be so public,” the insider said.
Further reports suggested that feeling extended across the group rather than there being any objection to the documentary itself.
“It’s still too raw,” an insider told New Idea, which reported that Aniston and Kudrow were still struggling to discuss Perry without becoming emotional.
The source claimed LeBlanc and Schwimmer were also uncomfortable with appearing and said the stars wanted to honor Perry privately, on their own terms and in their own time.
However, the stars have all paid tribute to Matthew since his death and some have spoken about him in interviews.
Aniston told Vanity Fair of losing Perry, “As hard as it was for all of us and for the fans, there’s a part of me that thinks this is better. I’m glad he’s out of that pain.”
Cox also wrote in an Instagram tribute after his death, “I am so grateful for every moment I had with you Matty and I miss you every day,” adding, “He was funny and he was kind.”
While none of Perry’s five main co-stars appear in the documentary, his younger sister Mia Perry Bowick does take part and speaks about her brother on camera for the first time.
Bowick offers several intimate insights into Perry’s relationships, his addiction troubles and his time on Friends, including how much the storyline between his character Chandler Bing and Courteney Cox’s Monica Geller meant to him.
She says her brother had sometimes felt that Schwimmer and Aniston’s Ross and Rachel received more of the spotlight on the beloved show.
Bowick says Perry was therefore thrilled when Chandler’s relationship with Monica developed, giving his character a major emotional storyline of his own to get his teeth into.
“He was not just silly Chandler anymore,” Bowick says in the documentary.
She explains that the romance allowed Perry to move beyond Chandler’s familiar comedy and demonstrate a more tender, romantic and vulnerable side of his acting.
Bowick says the family also understood how much Perry himself longed for the kind of love and family life that Chandler eventually found with Monica.
But her most poignant recollection of the Friends cast comes as she describes seeing them together at Perry’s private funeral.
Bowick says in the documentary that it was a small affair attended by family and close friends and that the five Friends stars entered together.
“I hadn’t seen them in easily 20 years,” Bowick recalls.
She says Aniston was the first of the group to approach her, giving her a huge hug, before the other cast members embraced her.
Bowick then watched as they all walked towards Perry’s casket holding hands and stood around their former co-star crying together.
Bowick also recalls an unexpected moment of laughter during the funeral as Perry was being moved into a mausoleum.
She says she suddenly felt as though her brother was standing behind her shoulder and could imagine him making a joke.
The thought caused her to start laughing during one of the most painful moments of the service, and she says it was the first time since his death that she had strongly felt her brother’s presence.
Robertson told Page Six that Bowick’s account of the funeral was both “wrenching and harrowing”, but said the unexpected laughter was also true to Perry’s personality.
The documentary also features Perry’s close friends and former NBC executive Warren Littlefield who recalled being in the room when Perry auditioned for Chandler.
Perry was found unresponsive in the hot tub of his Los Angeles home on October 28, 2023. He was 54.
His death was ruled accidental, with the acute effects of ketamine listed as the primary cause and drowning among the contributing factors.
The One About Matthew Perry is a new documentary exploring the life of the late Friends star, who played Chandler Bing on the beloved sitcom, three years on from his tragic death
For many years Matthew was able to hide his issues from fans.
Famously the Friends theme tune features the lyric “I’ll be there for you”.
And in real life actor Matthew Perry had both family and friends looking out for him along the way for most of his 54 years. Best known as Chandler Bing, he was regularly the stand out comic actor in the sitcom, both with physical gags and his comic timing of lines.
But often away from the cameras and the fame, there were problems in his life and we see and hear about those in abundance in the new Netflix series. I didn’t expect to react strongly to The One About Matthew Perry, but his sister Mia Perry Bowick is a captivating and unflinching interviewee.
Ahead of watching the documentary, I couldn’t really understand why she had agreed to take part and what good could come from it. But she does an incredible job by balancing her words to pay tribute to a brother she loved dearly, at the same time as also explaining the difficulties and pain of him struggling and battling with addiction.
I felt I understood the issues around addiction and Matthew Perry much more after watching and had huge sympathy for him and Mia. Here was an incredibly intelligent and talented man trying to manage a career as an A-list star as he fights desperately to not drink or turn to drugs when he feels depressed.
Those that worked with him point to his comic timing, his willingness to help with script tweaks or tiny scene changes to make projects even better. But for all his successes he never seemed to be able to be completely happy.
Despite having lots of friends and women falling at his feet, he would sometimes feel alone, perhaps thinking back to a time he would be put on planes on his own as a child flying between him mum in Canada and his dad in Los Angeles after they had separated
In one archive interview he says: “The beliefs that I had were I was too needy, I wasn’t enough, and I didn’t matter. And my whole life was about trying to have those three things not be true.”
Mia elaborates and says: “He would talk about that feeling of kind of a sense of emptiness or loneliness that he couldn’t quite fill.”
His closest friends and girlfriends discuss a recurring theme of poor Matthew losing the battle over and over again with relapses, and then his death. At one stage Mia says tearfully: “I know that a lot of parts of him did not think it was possible for him to live a sober life.” Going back further Mia recalls the good times, when Matthew first landed the Friends job, and when she was being cuddled on set by his cast mates like Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox as a young girl.
Her brother could be ridiculously generous and bought her a Corvette car when she was 15 and regularly treated friends and girlfriends to expensive gifts too. He also wasn’t against putting his hand in his pocket to try to help solve his own problems as Mia highlights he spent $7million on rehab to try to get clean and stay sober.
But another scene that lives long in the memory is when Mia describes visiting him in rehab in 2001 and being unable to control her despair at the situation, running and hiding in a cupboard in tears until her brother came to get her.
“This was my big brother, my idolised big brother. He was the most special person on the planet. Just seeing him suffering, I was really scared for him.”
As she grew older she matured and found she was having to help him even more, rushing to hospital to his aid in 2018 just six weeks after she had given birth. He came out of a coma that time and was released from hospital against the odds after three months, but the hopes that this would be rock bottom only lasted a few years.
At times this series if a tough watch because it does not sugarcoat what happened and the issues around addiction. But this decision should be applauded. It is a million miles away from so many of the other “celebrity documentaries” released these days which gloss over the difficult moments over simplify what really happened.
Explaining her reasoning for taking part, Mia said: As his sister, he shaped who I am today, the person I strive to be, and the work to which I’ve devoted my life. Matthew had a beautiful heart and a generous spirit, and even in his darkest moments, he could still make you laugh and feel loved. I hope this series gives everyone who loved him, whether personally or from afar, a deeper appreciation for who he truly was, and the legacy he leaves behind.”
Mia, you were there for him, and along with director Mary Robertson you have done Matthew proud with this documentary.
VERDICT: A challenging and heartbreaking series *****
* The One About Matthew Perry premieres globally on Netflix on October 27.
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Mike Flanagan’s supernatural horror series Midnight Mass on Netflix is perfect for fans of The Haunting of Hill House, with its dark, disturbing atmosphere, powerful performances and expertly crafted horror
Viewers are watching the Netflix series multiple times(Image: Steve Dietl/Netflix)
A new Netflix series that’s keeping audiences glued to their screens into the early hours is ideal viewing for fans of Haunting of Hill House. Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House captivated television audiences worldwide as a grounded supernatural horror exploring the devastating, deeply relatable burden of family trauma and grief.
According to Netflix, the series ranked as the seventh most binge-watched global release during its premiere window and secured a 93% critic score alongside a 91% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, plus impressive rankings on IMDb. Those who loved the show are now being urged to watch a new Netflix series that will unsettle them just as profoundly as The Haunting of Hill House.
Craig, a TikTok creator from Surrey who discusses television and film across his social media platforms, said the show, Midnight Mass, would have TV enthusiasts watching for hours on end.
Craig said: “If you’re looking for your next series to binge-watch this Halloween, this series on Netflix is a must-watch. It comes from Mike Flanagan, who you may know from The Haunting of Hill House, and if you want a horror that’s going to really get under your skin, you need to check this one out.
“The must-watch series I’m talking about is called Midnight Mass. And if you loved The Haunting of Hill House, you’re going to absolutely love this one. And it follows a man called Riley Flynn, who returns to his isolated hometown after spending time in prison.
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“But things start to change when a mysterious new priest, Father Paul, arrives in the community. And suddenly, people start experiencing what they believe to be miracles. The town’s faith has been reignited, and there’s a growing sense that something extraordinary is happening.
“But as these events become increasingly more disturbing, the town residents start to believe: are these miracles, or is there something much more sinister under the surface? What makes Midnight Mass so great to watch is it doesn’t rely on cheap jump scares to frighten you.
“Instead, it builds this incredibly unsettling atmosphere, slowly revealing its secrets until you’re so invested into what’s happening on that island. And like most Mike Flanagan projects, the performances in this are incredible, especially Hamish Linklater as Father Paul – he is brilliant
.
“And the expert writing explores some genuinely fascinating themes like faith, guilt, addiction, and redemption. And when the horror kicks in, it gets absolutely terrifying. It’s dark, disturbing, emotional, and there are some things in this that will stay with you for a very long time.
“And the best part is, it’s a self-contained story of seven episodes, so it’s the perfect series to binge-watch this Halloween. So, if you loved The Haunting of Hill House and you haven’t seen Midnight Mass, get yourself on this series because it is a must-watch.”
What do critics and viewers think about Midnight Mass?
Having first landed on screens back in 2021, Midnight Mass boasts an impressive 87% critic rating and a 79% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Further viewers flocked to Craig’s video to share their opinions on the show and urge others to give it a go.
One person said: “Really good show. Very unusual.”
A second added: “Really good series with a superb ending.”
MATTHEW Perry’s sister has spoken publicly about her late brother for the first time, revealing that she still talks to the Friends star nearly three years after his death.
Mia Perry Bowick opened up about Perry ahead of Netflix’s new docuseries The One About Matthew Perry, offering an emotional glimpse into how his family continues to cope with his loss.
Bowick also described him as her “favorite person” during the emotional TV chat on Monday as she held back tears.
Her appearance marks the first time Bowick has spoken publicly at length about Perry, giving viewers a rare perspective from inside the actor’s family as the third anniversary of his death approaches.
His death was ruled accidental, with the acute effects of ketamine identified as the primary cause and drowning and coronary artery disease listed among the contributing factors.
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Bowick appeared on the show with the documentary’s director ahead of the Netflix releaseCredit: NBCActor Matthew Perry was found unresponsive in his Jacuzzi at his Los Angeles home in 2023Credit: Getty
Five people were later charged over the drugs supplied to Perry, with his live-in assistant Kenneth Iwamasa eventually jailed for three years and five months after admitting he injected the actor with ketamine on the day he died.
Drug dealer Jasveen Sangha, dubbed the “Ketamine Queen” by prosecutors, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison after admitting supplying the ketamine that ultimately killed Perry.
Middleman Erik Fleming was sentenced to two years in federal prison, while Dr. Salvador Plasencia was handed 30 months behind bars after admitting illegally distributing ketamine to Perry.
A second doctor, Mark Chavez, avoided prison but was sentenced to eight months of home detention, three years of probation and 300 hours of community service.
The actor had spent years speaking candidly about his struggles with alcohol and drug addiction, including in his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.
Perry described repeated attempts at treatment and recovery while dealing with addiction during and after his years playing Chandler Bing on Friends.
Bowick said her family eventually learned to approach Perry’s addiction differently as they gained a better understanding of what he was going through.
“As we learned more and more about what was happening to him, it was easier to love him through it, rather than try to control what was happening,” she said.
Those experiences form part of The One About Matthew Perry, which uses unseen photos, family material and interviews to explore Perry beyond his public image.
Alongside Bowick, the series features Perry’s longtime friends, former co-stars and people he met through recovery, as well as figures involved in the investigation into his death.
Among those appearing are longtime friend and co-star Kevin Pollak and former U.S. attorney E. Martin Estrada, who led the prosecution connected to Perry’s death.
Robertson said the documentary seeks to pull back the curtain on his life and show the person behind the TV favorite and the headlines surrounding his struggles.
The three-part documentary is due to land on Netflix on October 27, one day before the third anniversary of Perry’s death.
More to follow… For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos.
As Netflix grapples with fallout from historic layoffs and upheaval in its senior executive ranks, the streaming giant is facing mounting scrutiny from investors about its growth strategy, diversification plans and response to rising competition from the likes of YouTube.
But the biggest challenge confronting the Los Gatos, Calif., company may be something more fundamental: a clash between the firm’s roots as a technology-driven upstart and its ambition to be a force in Hollywood.
Increasingly, tensions have flared between the L.A.-based executives dedicated to movies and TV shows and its engineers and technologists in Silicon Valley. Internal disputes have erupted over how best to expand the business and promote content on the platform to boost audience engagement, according to former Netflix employees and industry insiders who spoke to The Times.
The friction has deepened since co-founder Reed Hastings stepped away from management, handing the reins in January 2023 to Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters, who share the job of chief executive.
The dual-boss structure has at times hobbled the company and contributed to muddled messages and some costly misfires, such as its foray in the games business, said the sources, who were not authorized to speak publicly due to the sensitivity of the topic.
“With two CEOs, it’s hard to have a singular vision,” said a former Netflix executive who was not authorized to speak publicly.
Netflix declined to comment for this article.
But a person close to the company disputed the claim that there was a culture divide in Netflix.
“The idea that this is a power struggle between Hollywood and Silicon Valley misses how Netflix actually operates,” said the person, who was not authorized to speak publicly. “Ted and Greg bring different perspectives to the table, and that’s the point. They debate, make decisions together and recognize that neither great content nor great technology succeeds here without the other.”
Netflix, which laid off 6% of staff this month, has faced rising pressure after losing its status as a Wall Street darling and a Hollywood star.
(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
Only about 1% of the largest 3,000 publicly traded companies in the U.S. have co-CEOs, according to research firm Equilar. But there are high-profile examples of the arrangement, including software company Oracle, Comcast Corp., Spotify and private equity behemoth KKR.
The Larry Ellison family, which this month merged Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery in a $111-billion transaction, installed scion David Ellison as CEO and the former leader of Mattel Corp., Ynon Kreiz, as co-CEO. Hollywood has had prosperous pairings, including longtime Warner Bros. studio chiefs Bob Daly and Terry Semel. Disney achieved tremendous success in the early 1990s when the late Frank Wells worked alongside former CEO Michael Eisner.
“The division of labor is just extremely powerful,” said Henning Piezunka, a management professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. “If there is a disagreement between the CEOs, you still have two very smart people that are battling it out, and I kind of prefer that over one single person making the decision.”
But Netflix’s top leaders now face mounting pressure as the company has lost its status as a Wall Street darling and a Hollywood star.
Investors have grown impatient; they want to see better growth metrics, which has become increasingly difficult as the service, which has more than 325 million subscribers, has neared saturation in the U.S.
This month, Netflix laid off 6% of its staff, including several key movie and TV executives. It bounced its chief content officer, Bela Bajaria, replacing her with former Fox and Disney executive Peter Rice, who starts on Monday. Several programming executives were also let go, including film chief Dan Lin and his top deputy, Doug Belgrad, and the director of original TV series, Carolina Garcia.
“They have got to have a plan to reignite revenue growth, and it can’t just be about making better TV content,” said Laura Martin, media analyst with Needham & Co. “Everybody’s trying to make hit content.”
Former Netflix Chief Executive Reed Hastings, left, and Ted Sarandos attend at 2011 launch party in Mexico City.
(Elizabeth Fuentes/Getty Images)
A dynamic leader
Former CEO Hastings, who co-founded the company in Scotts Valley just outside of Santa Cruz in 1997, was a dynamic leader. The mathematics and computer science graduate, who spent two years in the Peace Corps, launched Netflix by mailing DVDs in red envelopes to customers bothered by Blockbuster Video chain’s practices and late fees. In 2007, Netflix began offering streaming.
Hastings oversaw the creation of a pioneering technology that could offer helpful recommendations to users on what to watch next.
That recommendation algorithm has long been viewed as Netflix’s secret sauce. It quickly became the envy of rival entertainment firms that were late to recognize how disruptive the streaming business would become.
With Hastings, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur at the helm, power at the company was cleanly split between the tech teams who worked at its Bay Area headquarters and the executives who worked with talent and content on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood.
Hastings established Netflix’s unique left-brain/right-brain culture, where people pitching projects were encouraged to openly debate and disagree.
To prepare for an eventual leadership transition, the company set up a dual CEO structure in 2020 by promoting Sarandos, its longtime content chief, to co-CEO.
Hastings, a 66-year-old billionaire, stepped down in 2023 as co-CEO, leaving his lieutenants in charge.
Hastings did not respond to a request for a comment.
Sarandos, 62, was known for making splashy bets on programming that paid off, including agreeing to pay $100 million for the first two seasons of a political drama, “House of Cards,” starring Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright that turned into one of Netflix’s first big TV hits.
Peters, 55, who was previously chief operating officer, has a tech background that complemented Sarandos’ entertainment industry insights. He holds a bachelor degree in physics and astronomy from Yale University and was taught code by his mother, a computer programmer.
Under Sarandos’ leadership, Netflix grew its presence in Hollywood and created content teams internationally. With Hastings no longer in the day-to-day mix, the power tilted toward Hollywood and Sarandos, who oversees the bulk of the company’s $20-billion programming budget.
“Over time, the center of gravity moved to L.A.,” one industry executive said.
The company expanded its business, including offering customers a cheaper subscription plan with ads. It also pushed into live sports, which Bajaria championed, and games.
The Dallas Cowboys’ Gene Jones, left, and Jerry Jones chat with Netflix executive Ted Sarandos during a 2025 premiere at the Egyptian Arena Theatre in Hollywood.
(Amy Sussman / Getty Images)
Escalating tensions
But as Netflix expanded and diversified, internal divisions intensified over operations and strategy.
In one instance, tech employees were surprised when Sarandos’ team signed a deal to release 2024 NFL Christmas Day games on Netflix without consulting tech and product executives, whose staffers would be responsible for providing the tech support for such a key event, two people familiar with the matter said. Those concerns were magnified after Netflix experienced widespread technical difficulties during the streaming of the Mike Tyson-Jake Paul fight that November, though the NFL broadcast was largely free of glitches.
Disputes also emerged over how best to promote and market shows and movies on the platform. Under Hastings, the trailers and thumbnails of programs were overseen by the product team, who analyze consumer behavior. But Sarandos has given the company’s marketing team more control over the promotional assets of programs, leading to disagreements with the product team over how to best to represent programs and engage viewers, two people familiar with the matter said.
Another source of internal friction has centered on Netflix’s aggressive venture into games that Peters championed, as part of a strategy to diversify its business and retain subscribers.
The streamer acquired several game studios beginning in 2021, investing billions into the space, sources said.
But the effort has badly misfired. In August, Netflix announced it was closing Hollywood-based gaming studio Night School and shuttering Finland-based gaming studio Moonloot. It previously shuttered Allen, Texas-based Boss Fight Entertainment.
The focus on games also sparked disagreements between Peters and Sarandos, who believed the tech and product teams were giving too much attention to games, creating confusion among teams over how they should operate, said a source with knowledge of the matter.
The leaders also disagreed in other areas as well, including over a 2025 deal with French broadcaster TF1 to bring its free channels into Netflix in France as a way to draw more viewers to both services.
Peters pushed for the deal, which Sarandos initially opposed, and the debate delayed an effort that could have helped the business sooner, according to three people familiar with the deal who were not authorized to comment. The TF1 partnership was a success that Netflix wants to replicate with other partners.
Sarandos and Peters also raised eyebrows when they appeared to send conflicting signals on the company’s interest in buying Warner Bros. During an Oct. 8, 2025, conference appearance, Peters said Netflix had a deep heritage of being a builder rather than a buyer.
“One should have a reasonable amount of skepticism around big media mergers,” Peters said. “They don’t have an amazing track record over the history of time.”
Netflix executives Greg Peters, left, and Ted Sarandos, right, visit a studio lot with Warner Bros. Discover chief David Zaslav.
(Joe Pugliese and John Nowak / For Warner Bros. Discovery)
A week later, Sarandos called Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav to express interest in acquiring Warner’s streaming and studios business, according to regulatory filings. Netflix in December unveiled its $82.7-billion proposal, which Peters also supported, according to knowledgeable sources.
But, after spending months touting the benefits that Warner assets would bring, Netflix abruptly pulled out of the auction in late February when Paramount’s Ellison upped his company’s offer. Warner executives expected Netflix to go the distance, but they soon recognized deep anxiety within Netflix’s board, according to an executive who was not authorized to speak publicly.
Netflix’s stock hasn’t recovered. Its shares traded for $109 before the Warner bid. On Friday, the stock closed at $65.85.
Netflix is profitable, with net income increasing 44% to $3.7 billion in the third quarter and revenue up 12% to $12.87 billion from the third quarter a year ago, but the company remains under scrutiny by Wall Street.
Sarandos in an earnings call last week there is “no need for a fundamental shift in the strategy” but said the company needs to develop more hit shows in the U.S. that can “travel around the world.”
Netflix projected its revenue would come in the lower range of its estimate for the year, citing a lower ad revenue forecast.
“Their advertising growth has been very slow … and the video game business has been disappointing,” Martin, the analyst, said. “The problem is that the market is maturing and they need a Plan B, and they don’t really have a Plan B right now.”
Olivia Attwood has been left shocked after she was denied entry into a designer store by staffCredit: InstagramA staff member roped off the area which prevented her from enteringCredit: Instagram
Taking to Instagram, Olivia posted a video clip captioned “Chanel said not today,” which showed the moment she tried to walk into a Chanel store.
However, a staff member instantly roped off the entrance and stopped the star from getting inside – despite her wealth.
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A shocked Olivia said: “He just shut the f***ing rope in my face.”
Olivia said he just shut the f***ing rope in my faceCredit: olivia_attwood/instagramOlivia sparked engangement rumours when she attended the Pride of Britain AwardsCredit: SplashOlivia and Pete previously tried keeping their relationship under wrapsCredit: InstagramThe couple recently hard launched their new romanceCredit: Instagram
Now, Olivia is in talks for a huge new docuseries – and everybody wants it.
A source told The Sun: “Olivia is ITV’s most commissioned star, making her seriously in demand.
“She’s currently in talks with streaming platforms to sign a multi-million pound deal to showcase her life on-screen, moving from presenting shows to being at the forefront.
“All the biggest celebrities are inviting cameras into their home and Olivia is set to follow suit.
“She’s had a huge year with her marriage breakdown, her career going global and a new romance with Pete Wicks.”
The feature film has been hailed a ‘cult classic’ and makes for ideal Halloween viewing – but fans don’t have long left to watch it
Film fans don’t have long left to watch the 2009 release on Netflix(Image: 20th Century Fox)
An ‘iconic’ noughties horror film is being removed from Netflix in a matter of days.
The film, released back in 2009, stars Hollywood heavyweights Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried as two school friends who find themselves at odds after one of them is possessed by a demon and develops an appetite for boys.
The film in question is Jennifer’s Body, with Megan portraying the bloodthirsty cheerleader Jennifer Check who is sacrificed to Satan by an indie band looking to make it big, with devastating consequences. Amanda plays her nerdy best friend Anita ‘Needy’ Lesnicki, while the glittering ensemble cast also includes big names such as J.K Simmons, Adam Brody, Chris Pratt and Kyle Gallner.
Jennifer’s Body has been available on Netflix since May this year, but it is sadly about to be removed from the streaming giant. Netflix confirmed that the last available day to stream it will be November 7.
While the Rotten Tomatoes rating for the film is far from glowing – sitting at a measly 36 per cent from audiences – it still holds a special place in the hearts of many film fans. One reviewer gushed: “The perfect mix of gore, dry humour satire, original story, and, of course, an amazing soundtrack.
“As a horror/thriller superfan, this movie continues to delight even after seeing it ~10 times. Regardless of ratings it keeps playing and for good reason. A modern cult classic.”
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Sky is giving away a free Netflix subscription with its new Sky Stream TV bundles, including the £15 Essential TV bundle. This lets members watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes hit shows like Stranger Things and The Last of Us.
Meanwhile a second fan of the film penned: “Genuinely love Jennifer’s Body. I feel like this movie was so misunderstood when it first came out because it’s so much more than just a horror movie. I love the mix of dark humour, gore, and the complicated friendship between Jennifer and Needy.”
They continued: “The movie also touches on female friendship, jealousy, and how women are treated, but in such a chaotic and entertaining way. Megan Fox was literally made for this role, and the whole aesthetic of the movie is everything.”
A third film fan simply said: “Cult classic for a reason,” as a fourth added: “Such an iconic 2000s movie never gets old.”
Jennifer’s Body is now streaming on Netflix. It will be removed from the platform after November 7.
U2 is coming to SoFi Stadium for the first time — and performing during a Rams game for the first time in nearly 25 years.
The legendary Irish rock band will headline the halftime show for the NFL’s first Thanksgiving eve game as the Rams host the Green Bay Packers on Nov. 25. The game will stream live on Netflix.
The only other time U2 has performed at halftime of an NFL game was at Super Bowl XXXVI on Feb. 3, 2002, when the New England Patriots defeated the then-St. Louis Rams 20-17 at the Superdome in New Orleans.
“There’s a reason U2 has headlined stadiums for decades: they don’t just perform, they deliver iconic moments audiences remember forever,” Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said in a statement. “We’re thrilled that they’ll bring that same magic to the NFL stage on Netflix. It’s going to be an unforgettable night for football fans and Netflix members worldwide.”
U2’s halftime show will feature special guests, the streaming service said.
Netflix has featured big-name halftime performers during some of the previous NFL games it has streamed, including Beyoncé on Christmas day in 2024 and Snoop Dogg on Christmas last year.
U2 — which features singer Bono, lead guitarist the Edge, bass player Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen Jr. — celebrated their 50th anniversary last month with a concert. The group performed at Mount Temple Comprehensive School, where the four members were students when they first got together as a band in 1976.
The band has won 22 Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. Its 16th studio album, Carnival de Luz, is set to drop on Nov. 13.
It’s been nearly 40 years since the dread-filled tones of the “Unsolved Mysteries” theme song first hit network TV airwaves.
In that time, the celebrated documentary series has been through nearly every iteration of the TV business — and is about to embark on a new one.
Next week, “Unsolved Mysteries” will launch a video podcast in partnership with the audio and entertainment firm Audacy. The weekly podcast, which will be available on YouTube and on all podcast platforms, will release new episodes starting Oct. 29 that explore cases such as mysterious deaths and unexplained disappearances.
The podcast will be hosted by actor and TV host Jordan Murphy and will include interviews with the people involved in the case, “Unsolved Mysteries” co-creator Terry Dunn Meurer told me in a recent interview.
“We’re still trying to expand the brand and pivot,” she said. “It just feels like that’s where the industry is heading. The YouTube audience is the biggest audience out there, and we are looking for the biggest audience because we’re trying to help solve these cases. So the more viewers we can get with these episodes, the better.”
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“Unsolved Mysteries” isn’t the only Hollywood player to bet on video podcasts. Spotify has bet big on video podcasts, and Netflix has added them to its platform, both of which are attempts to compete with YouTube, diversify their offerings and keep consumers tuned in.
For “Unsolved Mysteries,” the move is just the latest way the show has tried to evolve with the TV industry’s ups and downs.
The show debuted in 1987 as a series of specials NBC used to fill holes in its lineup, Dunn Meurer said. That kind of pinch-hitting meant there was no marketing or publicity to get audiences excited about the show, but viewers started tuning in anyway.
Eventually, the specials became a weekly show that aired on NBC for nine seasons before moving to CBS. “Unsolved Mysteries” also had a syndication run on cable channels Lifetime and Spike TV.
Throughout its TV lifetime, the show would highlight stories of mysterious disappearances, escaped fugitives, lost connections and even the occasional paranormal story. “Unsolved Mysteries” made appeals to viewers, urging them that someone out there “knows the truth” and encouraged them to write in with tips or new suggestions for investigation, which has resulted in tens of thousands of submissions over the years.
More recently, “Unsolved Mysteries” was revived on Netflix for three seasons, with a format focused on a single story. The series also previously had an audio-only podcast.
In addition to the video podcast, “Unsolved Mysteries” also recently produced a full-length documentary on new evidence surrounding the so-called Tylenol Killer, a 1982 case in which seven people died after unknowingly taking cyanide-filled pill capsules.
Though the method of delivery has changed, Dunn Meurer said the show’s mission remains the same. Over the years, the series has helped to directly solve more than 260 cases, she said, though many are so-called lost love cases of missed connections, as well as fugitive whereabouts and some murders.
“There’s so many mysteries out there that need attention, cases that have gone cold,” she said. “For me personally, it’s hard to not keep putting those stories out there and helping these families and law enforcement that need the help to solve these cases.”
‘Musk’ advertising controversy
In notable media news, the TikTok ad account for Bleecker Street’s documentary “Musk” was “permanently suspended” Friday, the day the film opened nationwide, a spokesperson for the indie studio confirmed.
But on Sunday, a spokesperson for TikTok said the account was restored “after an error.”
The documentary, directed by Alex Gibney, follows billionaire Elon Musk and the effect he has had on politics and his support for the GOP and President Trump.
The ban raised suspicions in Hollywood as TikTok is now partially owned by Oracle, which was co-founded by billionaire Larry Ellison. Ellison, who still serves as executive chairman of the tech company, is briefly mentioned in the documentary when he offers to help Musk finance his acquisition of Twitter, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
The documentary will make its streaming debut on HBO Max, which is owned by Ellison’s son, David.
In its second weekend in theaters, “Musk” grossed about $306,700 across 472 screens in the U.S. and Canada, for a $650 per-screen average. The film has notched a 97% critics rating on aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.
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A24’s “You Can See Everything” brought in $15 million at the domestic box office over the weekend, a huge feat for the nearly three-hour documentary that delves into the life of disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes shortly before she reported to federal prison for defrauding investors.
The documentary, directed by deadpan comic Nathan Fielder and “Primetime” filmmaker Lance Oppenheim, got a ton of buzz after its surprise debut at the Telluride Film Festival last month. The $15-million opening is even more impressive given that it was available only on 855 screens.
That was good enough for second place at the weekend box office. In first was Skydance-owned Paramount Pictures’ “Street Fighter,” which scored $31 million domestically for a worldwide gross of $51.1 million.
What I’m watching
During a busy (news) week like last week, sometimes you just need a comfort watch. For me, that’s HGTV.
There’s nothing more calming than watching people try to redo their houses into the home of their dreams. But because it’s spooky season, I ended up watching “Scariest House in America,” a hilarious home makeover competition hosted by “Parks and Recreation” comedian Retta, where homeowners show off their creepy, strange or wildly dilapidated houses in hopes of winning a renovation. After watching the travails of people who chose to live in a former jail or a self-constructed giant gingerbread house with a rickety single-person elevator, I was oddly soothed.
Management upheaval at Netflix continued Monday as the streamer’s head of films Dan Lin exited, according to two people familiar with the matter who declined to be named.
Lin was appointed to the position in February 2024 and was tasked with making fewer, better and bigger movies. During his tenure, Netflix rolled out movies including crime thriller “The Rip,” starring Ben Affleck and Matt Damon and animated hit “KPop Demon Hunters.” His exit arrives as Netflix is going to release highly anticipated movies in theaters in the coming months including David Fincher-directed “The Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth” starring Brad Pitt in November and Greta Gerwig-directed “Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew next year.
Netflix did not have an immediate response to a request for comment.
Lin’s exit followed massive layoffs at Netflix that began last week, trimming 6% of staff or roughly 1,000 people. Netflix last Thursday announced the company’s Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria was no longer at the streamer and named her replacement, Peter Rice, a former chairman of Walt Disney Television and chairman of general entertainment for The Walt Disney Co.
After Bajaria was pushed out, many people in the industry expected Lin would be next, according to sources who declined to be named.
Rice will also oversee the film team until a new film head is announced.
Analysts and investors have raised concerns about Netflix’s growth. In the first half of 2026, hours watched on Netflix increased 2% compared to a year earlier, according to the streamer. Investors had hoped for more robust growth, given that the streamer increased its content budget 11% to $20 billion.
Netflix is profitable and continues to grow its revenue. But analysts say the streamer hasn’t had enough big hits recently and are skeptical about Netflix‘s ability to increase prices and grow its subscriber base if it doesn’t have enough popular content.
Netflix stock has dropped 42% compared to a year ago. By mid-morning on Monday, shares were trading at $69.53, down 1%.
In a note to staff about Bajaria’s exit, Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos wrote that he saw an opportunity to take the streamer’s slate to the “next level” especially in the United States and Canada market, “where we have an outsize impact in creating big, buzzy hits that our members love and drive conversation around the world.”
Lin’s role was controversial in Hollywood, as he was named to the role after former Netflix film chief Scott Stuber left. Under Stuber’s leadership, Netflix ramped up its movie production and produced big budget films including 2022‘s “The Gray Man” starring Ryan Gosling but is not ranked in Netflix’s top 10 films of all time. “The Gray Man” cost nearly $200 million to make and at the time was Netflix’s most expensive movie, according to the New York Times.
Lin’s directive to be more budget conscious also irked some people in the industry.
While films released during his tenure including the animated film “Swapped,” as well as action films “Carry-On” and “Back in Action” made Netflix’s top 10 most-watched films list, based on views at the time of their debut, some of his other films were not as successful, analysts said.
Brandon Katz, director of insights and content strategy at Greenlight Analytics, said Netflix’s five most-watched English-language scripted summer movie releases in their first eight weeks posted the lowest average hours watched compared with the streamer’s top five summer releases in 2025, 2024 and 2023, citing Nielsen data.
Analysts and investors are eagerly anticipating Netflix’s third quarter earnings results Tuesday, as executives are expected to address how they plan to move the company forward.
A |masterpiece” period drama starring Cillian Murphy is leaving Netflix in a matter of days. Small Things Like These was only just added to the platform earlier this year but fans will need to act fast before it is removed from the service.
The film is an adaptation of the award winning book of the same name, written by Claire Keegan. It was shortlisted for the prestigious Booker Prize in 2022 as well as the Rathbones Folio Prize, while it took home the Orwell Prize for political fiction in the same year.
Its big screen version came out in 2024, with Irish actor Murphy in the leading role. Although it was perhaps overlooked by some, as this was the same year the star picked up his Oscar for a very different period piece – Oppenheimer.
Like the novella, Small Things Like These takes place over Christmas in 1985, when devoted father and coal merchant Bill Furlong, played by Murphy, discovers startling secrets kept by the convent in his town, along with some shocking truths of his own.
The plot is inspired by the truth behind Ireland’s Magdalene laundries. These were asylums run by Roman Catholic institutions from the 1820s until 1996 which were supposed to reform “fallen young women.”
Netflix now lists a warning label on the title, that informs users it will be ‘leaving soon’. The streamer states that the last day to watch will be October 27, meaning at the time of writing, viewers have just a little over a week to catch it before it’s too late. It’s not yet known if it will became available on an alternative platform or service after this date.
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Sky is giving away a free Netflix subscription with its new Sky Stream TV bundles, including the £15 Essential TV bundle. This lets members watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes hit shows like Stranger Things and The Last of Us.
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Despite the tough subject matter, the film received a positive response from viewers and critics alike, with Murphy often being singled out for his stellar acting performance. It holds a rare 94% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes with many fans backing up the reviews.
One person posted online: “A masterpiece. Every shot is a masterpiece. The soundtrack is a masterpiece. Every performance is a masterpiece. The casting is beyond perfect. If possible, it’s even better than Claire Keegan’s short story.”
While some admitted they struggled with the slower pace of the film, many have suggested it is a must watch. One person said: “A hard to swallow, but fantastically acted, written, and directed film putting religion and its mafia laden tendencies at the forefront. Cillian continues to be a star, with a support cast of epic proportions. Based on a true and very sad story.”
A fourth penned: “Totally absorbing yet disturbing film, brilliantly led by an understated master class of acting by Cillian Murphy. The sudden ending leaves you literally crying out for more. A modern day masterpiece.”
Someone else added: “Following a read of the perfectly written book, I had to watch the film when I heard that Cillian Murphy was the star. He and the rest of the cast bring this extraordinary story to lives. Is there nothing he cannot do! Well worth a watch, it’s poignant from start to finish.”
