Like the seasons, times, and life in general, Netflix‘s content library is no stranger to change, with all-time classics and legacy blockbusters oft found taking shifts and making space for the sake of in-house originals and new releases every other month. And as the clock begins to run down on September and through the rest of the fall, the Netflix metamorphosis remains as kinetic as ever.
Indeed, as Netflix perplexingly prepares to say goodbye to one of its most expensive acquisitions later this month, a whole swath of high-profile recruits are gearing up and setting off for their time in the spotlight, including a comic book anime adaptation that would have crushed the streamer had it been live-action, a more contentious version of Squid Game that could get even more contentious, and Netflix’s latest attempt to capture the essence of the John Wick franchise.
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off would have snapped Netflix’s bank account over its knee had it been live-action
We’re still a few months out from Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, but the Netflix anime reboot of the beloved graphic novel and 2010 film adaptation is already something of a success story; with the entire cast of Edgar Wright’s delightfully crafted but tragically unprofitable blockbuster coming back for voice roles, all whilst being overseen by the original Scott Pilgrim mastermind Bryan Lee O’Malley himself, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off certainly looks like the cream of the crop on paper.
And if it does fulfill the prophecy as a Netflix hit, it will all be thanks to the fact that it’s animated; according to series co-writer BenDavid Grabinski, the shenanigans in Takes Off would have required an Avatar-level budget to bring to life in live-action, and after Scott Pilgrim vs. the World‘s poor return, that’s a gamble the streamer would understandably not want to take. It also means, of course, that we’re probably in for some pretty stellar fight scenes, so the animation route remains a win for everyone involved.
Squid Game: The Challenge reportedly entertaining a bold release strategy alongside the many bold decisions it already consists of
The idea of a reality television competition based on Squid Game should elicit more than a bit of unease; not just because such a fundamentally violent, fictional premise is getting adapted — however toned down it may be — for the real world, but also because of the surety that a fair shake of people will be buying into it because of, not regardless of, such a development.
Credit where credit is due, Netflix seems to have taken the necessary steps to create a safe filming environment for its 456 contestants, but it doesn’t sound quite as interested in preventing a frustrating viewing experience for those looking to tune in, if rumors of a staggered, volumized release schedule should be taken with more than a grain of salt.
This week is your last chance to watch an absolute maverick of a sci-fi horror
Alex Garland has never been one to helm safe movies, so to speak. Indeed, ever since he began grabbing those directorial ropes with 2015’s Ex Machina, he hasn’t been the least bit afraid of treading into divisive territory; in fact, if 2018’s Annihilation is any indication, he embraces it.
Love it or hate it, there’s no denying that Garland’s sophomore solo directing effort was committed to marching to the beat of a different drum (mentally debilitating in all the freakiest ways as it was), and perhaps that was enough for Netflix to shell out roughly $20 million for the sole streaming distribution rights back when that bid was going on. But now, the sun is setting on this particular investment as Annihilation is set to leave the streamer on September 30, so if you’re in the mood to give your neurons a bit of a genre fiction kick, you’d better hop to it while you still can.
Another John Wick wannabe straight from Netflix’s own ranks, another instance of viewership gold
You have to hand it to Netflix; it’s certainly good at churning out an uncanny amount of entries for its most lucrative genres – be it rom-coms, true crime, pretty much anything with the word “erotic” in the description, or action thrillers.
The Black Book belongs to that latter category, with the Nigeria-set revenge thriller being the latest in a long list of seemingly biweekly action flicks to not only join the ranks of Netflix’s in-house library, but to land the suits a whole lot of cash in the process, as evidenced by its top 10 presence on the film charts in 68 different markets.