As the streaming wars continue to heat up, any studio with their own platform is forced to wait for the various distribution and streaming contracts to expire so that they can gather as many in-house titles as possible under one roof. It’s far from a simple waiting game, though, with domestic and international agreements all over the place as some of Hollywood’s biggest outfits leased out their content years ago without having any idea as to how important streaming would become to the modern viewing experience.
Netflix don’t have that problem, however, and as a result, the service is churning out more original content than ever, and a lot of it involves some of the most famous names in the industry. Five new titles were added to the content library today, and while they aren’t what you’d call top tier originals, there’s still plenty of variety to be found.
Idris Elba’s modern Western Concrete Cowboy is now available, and it’s been scoring solid reviews from critics, meaning it probably stands the best chance out of the new additions to crack the Top 10 most-watched list. Dutch romantic comedy Just Say Yes is another debutant, and sees the sister of a self-absorbed bride-to-be get her life turned upside down when her own wedding plans unravel.
French biopic Madame Claude, meanwhile, tells the salacious true story of the nation’s most infamous brothel keeper, who reportedly had a list of clients that included John F. Kennedy and Marlon Brando, with the movie tracing her fall from grace when her operation comes under threat. Elsewhere, The Serpent isn’t a movie, but the eight-episode limited series boasts cinematic production values, and stars Tahar Rahim as notorious conman Charles Sobhraj, while the project has been described a blend of Catch Me If You Can and Narcos.
Last but not least is Sky High, which is not to be confused with the 2005 cult favorite superhero comedy. Instead, it’s a Spanish thriller that Netflix have already agreed to turn into a TV show, so there’s plenty on offer to get excited over.
