It’s been a whirlwind week for Netflix, with hits coming from all directions. Every story you’re about to read about is juicier than the next (except for the renewal of a beloved 12-year-old show, which was entirely unsurprising).
From legal trouble and the questionable ventures of a sci-fi director using Netflix’s money to the author of a series plagued by controversy confirming the fans’ biggest fears, we’ve got the latest news in Netflix-land and we’re serving them in a platter worthy of any Holiday tabletop.
Squid Game: The Challenge contestants threaten legal action
It turns out the people signing up for a game show inspired by a fictional series where contestants risk their lives for a chance at winning nearly $36 million didn’t actually expect the fake version to resemble the real thing so much.
According to Deadline, two ex-contestants of Squid Game: The Challenge have sought legal counsel next to British personal injuries law firm Express Solicitors after suffering hypothermia and nerve damage thanks to cold conditions on set. As was widely reported in the past, three people had to receive medical aid during filming for the first game of the show, “Red Light, Green Light,” where people have to be motionless for some time, as the U.K. was going through a cold snap.
A spokesperson for the show told Deadline, “No lawsuit has been filed,” but Express Solicitors has begun proceedings by sending letters of claim to Studio Lambert, a co-producer on the Netflix property, according to a press statement released by the law firm.
Black Mirror continues to weather the Netflix storm with a season 7 renewal
Any show with over three seasons seems like the eighth wonder of the world these days, especially on Netflix. The streamer is famous for ruthlessly axing projects before even giving them a fighting chance, yet the titles that helped it become the entertainment giant it is today will always get a pass. We’re talking about Black Mirror which has just been renewed for a seventh season, but also the likes of The Crown and Stranger Things.
Then again, the phenomenon that is Black Mirror, an anthology series dealing with (not so) dystopian (anymore) scenarios, is well-deserving of the honor after its sixth outing became Netflix’s most-watched despite taking a whopping four years to come out. No word yet on how long season 7 will take to hit the TUDUM streamer, but we’re hoping they’re not looking to break their own record.
The curious case of the $55 million sci-fi series that never was, or how Netflix got swindled
The New York Times broke a damning story on Thursday about how director Carl Erik Rinsch allegedly used Netflix money to invest in the stock market, buy cryptocurrency, and other luxuries instead of finishing the sci-fi show he had been contractually obliged to deliver.
Conquest was the name of the series Netflix managed to secure the rights to in 2018 in a fierce battle against Amazon, agreeing on a $61.2 million deal, to be paid in installments. According to the NYT, Rinsch had made “six short episodes ranging from four to 10 minutes” previously, which he used to pitch the streaming world. What Netflix failed to realize (or chose to ignore) was that not only did Rinsch need a cash injection from none other than Keanu Reeves to finish that sample, but there were also 24-hour-long shoots and an actress who wound up in the hospital with hypothermia.
Unsurprisingly, the shoot for the actual series wasn’t much different, with a local film industry union in Brazil being called to São Paulo after complaints of “mistreatment” and “irritation” from the director on set. The NYT also reports that in another shoot in Budapest, Rinsch said his wife, a fellow producer on the show, was plotting to have him killed.
Not only did his erratic behavior get worse as Rinsch reportedly began making strange comments about mapping “the coronavirus signal emanating from within the earth” and “organic, intelligent forces,” but he also blew through Netflix’s last cash injection on everything besides finishing the show he had promised. The director and the streamer are currently in a legal dispute over the money. The NYT says “A ruling is expected soon.”
The Witcher creator confirms everything Henry Cavill had been warning us about
When Henry Cavill exited The Witcher after three seasons despite reportedly being “committed to seven,” rumors swirled that it was the writer’s room’s disrespect of the source material that drove an unrepairable wedge between the two parties. Author Andrzej Sapkowski’s words at Vienna Comic-Con last week have all but confirmed that to be the case.
Sapkowski laughed when an interviewer asked him whether he was in active conversation with Netflix about the show. “Maybe, I gave them some ideas, but they never listened to me,” he said, following it up with an impersonation of an exec, “Who’s this? It’s a writer, it’s nobody.”
Cavill, who’s known to be a passionate fan of the books and video games, will be replaced by Liam Hemsworth going forward. Witcher showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich has previously mentioned having “a great relationship with Mr. Sapkowski,” which judging by the author’s statement doesn’t actually involve any substantial creative partnership.