Netflix has never been shy in its desire to become the number one studio in Hollywood – regardless of its content only very rarely seeing the inside of a theater – so it’s not all that much of a surprise the streaming service is determined to take Disney on at its own game and win.
Just this weekend, Nimona debuted to rave reviews from critics and bumper viewership figures on the most-watched charts, making the Mouse House look like it missed a trick canceling the project following the Fox takeover, especially when its own titles like Elemental, Strange World, and Lightyear have been struggling at the box office.
However, Netflix is planning an even bolder move after revealing the fascinating-sounding Once Upon a Crime, a Japanese original feature that seeks to reinvent classic fairytales through the lens of a murder mystery. It sounds ridiculous, and a little bit insane, but also more than a touch awesome at the same time.
In director Yuichi Fukuda’s latest, Little Red Riding Hood is positioned as a detective roped in to crack the case of Cinderella, sending her down a rabbit hole of twists, turns, and mayhem in order to uncover the culprit of a crime that sets the entire plot in motion. A hard-boiled detective story inspired by some of the most famous faces in folklore? Yes please.
While Disney simply rehashes its animated back catalogue and brings nothing new to the table, Netflix is seeking to steal a march by upending the familiar tropes and trappings in distinctively unique fashion. Of course, Once Upon a Crime could end up being a disaster that nobody watches, but it could also hand the platform more ammunition as it continues to state the case that it can do Disney better than the house that Walt built.
