Why Harry and Meghan are set to lose $100m Netflix deal
The Sussexes and Netflix have agreed not to make an official announcement but sources have told The Sun executives have opted to quietly end the partnership.
'The deal is done; no more shows will be made. Netflix feel they've got all they can from the couple. Netflix were clever in that they got a hell of a lot of viewers for the first documentary series, and knew, realistically, it would prove the zenith of content from the Montecito pair,' they said.
'They're not unhappy with how things turned out — they got those initial hits, and produced one of the most talked-about shows of all time. The content got weaker from there on but, frankly, for £20million a year, anything was better than nothing.'
'There's no animosity from either side. Things have just run their course. Netflix execs are well aware Meghan's priority now is her own brand, and they won't play second fiddle to that. Publicly, there will not be a statement and of course, if things change dramatically, they'd be open to a one-off project down the line.'
'But for Harry, especially, this will be a blow. It's a huge loss of revenue.' Meghan Markle and husband Prince Harry with their chuildren Lillibet and Archie. Credit: Unknown / Instagram
Reports suggest that Meghan's lifestyle series As Ever failed to break into Netflix's top 300 titles, and Prince Harry's Polo documentary drew only modest audiences.
Despite initial success with their first documentary, subsequent content struggled to connect with viewers. With Love, Meghan is a lifestyle show failed to break into Netflix's top 300 titles. Credit: Netflix There were only modest audiences for Prince Harry's polo documentary. Credit: Yaroslav Sabitov / PA
The couple is said to still be on good terms with Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos and Paramount+ is reportedly interested in working with them if a suitable project arises.
Netflix has not commented on the matter.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sydney Morning Herald
5 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘I'm super-cute': Comedian Urzila Carlson's struggle to stay single
This story is part of the July 26 edition of Good Weekend. See all 15 stories. Each week, Benjamin Law asks public figures to discuss the subjects we're told to keep private by getting them to roll a die. The numbers they land on are the topics they're given. This week he speaks to Urzila Carlson. The South African-New Zealander comedian and actor, 49, became the highest-selling act in the history of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in 2019. She co-stars in the Netflix movie Kinda Pregnant. SEX Urzila, you've landed on 'Sex'. Sex! I've had it. Deal with it. [ Laughs ] What's the first thing that comes to mind? [ Groans ] At this point, it feels like admin. I'd rather read a book, have some melatonin and an early night. Can we both just masturbate [separately] and come to bed early? By the time you've fed the kids, looked after the house, pets and f--- knows what else, who's got the energy for it? I can't be f---ed with f---ing. You're a queer icon now, but what was the coming-out process like for you? I didn't really prioritise it, but I was nervous about what would happen in my community. I was living in South Africa and it's a lot more conservative there: they don't even take kindly to premarital sex, let alone coming out. I came out at 26, which I didn't think was late back then, but now it is: kids are much more comfortable. Anyway, I'm a big believer in [sexuality] being fluid. I understand why the alphabet [LGBTIQA+] keeps growing. You're single right now. Are you currently looking? I'm definitely not looking. I'm the opposite. I'm hyper-focused on staying single and not partnering up. Which is really hard: I'm super-cute. DEATH Is it true that early on in your childhood, your father – who was an alcoholic – came looking for you and your family, armed with a gun? Yes, my father was a very violent, aggressive drunk. Now when I look back on it, he obviously had post-traumatic stress disorder from the Angolan War [a 1975-2002 civil war in which South African forces were at times involved]. But he needed therapy for that: he doesn't get to take that out on his family. But my mum never shit-talked him – ever. That's important. My wife and I got a divorce a few years ago, and I said to her, 'I'll never fight with you.' And we're still best friends. You choose to have a family together, you need to keep your shit together. When people keep fighting after they've split up, I'm like, 'Why are you still fighting this person? You got what you wanted. You're alone now. You're rid of them. Now's your time to be happy.' The fighting should have happened while you were with them. Who was the last person you lost whose death really affected you? It was a friend who passed away a couple of years ago. We used to work together; I met her when I was 18. I gave the eulogy at her funeral the same day I recorded a special on YouTube. I don't even promote that special. It was such a dark day and I was just mentally and physically exhausted. I should have cancelled it. I thought it would be all right, but it wasn't.
The Age
5 hours ago
- The Age
‘I'm super-cute': Comedian Urzila Carlson's struggle to stay single
This story is part of the July 26 edition of Good Weekend. See all 15 stories. Each week, Benjamin Law asks public figures to discuss the subjects we're told to keep private by getting them to roll a die. The numbers they land on are the topics they're given. This week he speaks to Urzila Carlson. The South African-New Zealander comedian and actor, 49, became the highest-selling act in the history of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in 2019. She co-stars in the Netflix movie Kinda Pregnant. SEX Urzila, you've landed on 'Sex'. Sex! I've had it. Deal with it. [ Laughs ] What's the first thing that comes to mind? [ Groans ] At this point, it feels like admin. I'd rather read a book, have some melatonin and an early night. Can we both just masturbate [separately] and come to bed early? By the time you've fed the kids, looked after the house, pets and f--- knows what else, who's got the energy for it? I can't be f---ed with f---ing. You're a queer icon now, but what was the coming-out process like for you? I didn't really prioritise it, but I was nervous about what would happen in my community. I was living in South Africa and it's a lot more conservative there: they don't even take kindly to premarital sex, let alone coming out. I came out at 26, which I didn't think was late back then, but now it is: kids are much more comfortable. Anyway, I'm a big believer in [sexuality] being fluid. I understand why the alphabet [LGBTIQA+] keeps growing. You're single right now. Are you currently looking? I'm definitely not looking. I'm the opposite. I'm hyper-focused on staying single and not partnering up. Which is really hard: I'm super-cute. DEATH Is it true that early on in your childhood, your father – who was an alcoholic – came looking for you and your family, armed with a gun? Yes, my father was a very violent, aggressive drunk. Now when I look back on it, he obviously had post-traumatic stress disorder from the Angolan War [a 1975-2002 civil war in which South African forces were at times involved]. But he needed therapy for that: he doesn't get to take that out on his family. But my mum never shit-talked him – ever. That's important. My wife and I got a divorce a few years ago, and I said to her, 'I'll never fight with you.' And we're still best friends. You choose to have a family together, you need to keep your shit together. When people keep fighting after they've split up, I'm like, 'Why are you still fighting this person? You got what you wanted. You're alone now. You're rid of them. Now's your time to be happy.' The fighting should have happened while you were with them. Who was the last person you lost whose death really affected you? It was a friend who passed away a couple of years ago. We used to work together; I met her when I was 18. I gave the eulogy at her funeral the same day I recorded a special on YouTube. I don't even promote that special. It was such a dark day and I was just mentally and physically exhausted. I should have cancelled it. I thought it would be all right, but it wasn't.
Sydney Morning Herald
12 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Happy Gilmore 2 is here. But has Adam Sandler shanked it or scored a hole in one?
Happy Gilmore 2 ★★½ Hollywood is deep in its requel era – the remake masquerading as a sequel. Top Gun: Maverick, The Matrix Resurrections, and Ghostbusters: Afterlife all twist the homage dial up. But doing the same with Happy Gilmore, Adam Sandler's scrappy 1996 cult comedy about an ill-tempered ice hockey hopeful crashing the professional golf tour, is an odd choice. Anarchic defiance of the status quo is hard to replicate on the cusp of turning 60 years old. But in his comedies, which have moved from multiplexes to Netflix, Sandler has always been, well, happy to make do. In a film that celebrates family unity, Happy Gilmore 2 honours its forebear with a swathe of self-referential tributes and some amusing callbacks. It's a little too dutiful, and could have done with more chaos and absurdism before it revs up for a ludicrous but mostly pleasing finale. Written, as the original was, by Sandler and Robert Herlihy, the plot delivers a rapid-fire update of Happy's life after becoming an unlikely winner of the US Open. Romantic interest Virginia Venit (Julie Bowen) became his wife, further success and a posse of kids followed, before tragedy leaves Happy broke, boozing, and hating golf. It's bad, but not too bad – he can still let real-life golf maverick John Daly live in his garage. In a reflection of the clash between the golf establishment and the Saudi-backed LIV tour, Happy's return coincides with the launch of Maxi, the brainchild of energy drunk magnate Frank Manatee (Benny Safdie). The oily disruptor sees Maxi as a continuation of Happy's disruption. After all, he screamed at the ball and literally traded blows with his pro-am partner. But this Happy is, uncomfortably, a traditionalist. The film's solution to philosophical quandaries is to pile on the cameos. Famous veteran golfers such as Jack Nicklaus give way to numerous current stars, including Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy. Characters from the first film are remembered here with offspring. Ben Stiller returns. Margaret Qualley plays a round. Some try too hard (Travis Kelce), some get it right (Eminem), some do not try (Post Malone). The producer who made the schedules match deserves a medal. Loading It's jocular as opposed to hysterical; nothing ruptures the mood. Director Kyle Newacheck (Workaholics, What We Do in the Shadows) is in third gear until the final act, where the two rival tours face-off on a Maxi-fied course. The fantastical fit-out has the madcap gravity of Stephen Chow circa Shaolin Soccer. It gives Happy Gilmore 2 a welcome burst of energy, but you could still chalk it up as Adam Sandler's mulligan.
