News Analysis India

Tag: Netflix

  • Nadine Labaki to direct ‘Les Invisibles’ remake for Netflix

    By PTI
    LOS ANGELES: Netflix has roped in filmmaker Nadine Labaki to tackle the English-language remake of French movie “Les Invisibles”. Labaki is best known for “Capernaum”, the Lebanese drama which was nominated in the best international feature film category at 2019 Oscars.

    Titled “The Invisibles”, the new movie will take place at a day shelter where homeless people congregate for food, warmth, and connection. “When local officers decide to close the shelter, social workers have three months to reintegrate the women they care for – at any cost,” the official plotline read.

    According to The Hollywood Reporter, the movie will be produced by Graham Broadbent and Pete Czernin through their Blueprint banner with Labaki. Diarmuid McKeown and Ben Knight will serve as executive producers.

    The 2018 original French film was directed by Louis-Julien Petit and based on the novel “Sur la route des invisibles: Femmes dans la rue” by Claire Lajeunie.

  • Evan Peters to play serial killer Jeffery Dahmer for Netflix drama ‘Monster’

    By Express News Service
    Evan Peters is all set to join hands with Ryan Murphy for the latest Netflix project, Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.

    Peters, who previously worked with Murphy on the American Horror Story anthology series, will essay the role of the titular serial killer.

    Co-created by Murphy and Ian Brennan, the show will trace the life of Dahmer, one of America’s most notorious serial killers largely told from the point of view of his victims.

    The series will dive deeply into the police incompetence and apathy that allowed the Wisconsin native to go on a multi-year killing spree.

    It will dramatise at least 10 instances where Dahmer was almost apprehended but ultimately let go, while also touching upon his white privilege.

    As a clean-cut, good-looking white guy, Dahmer was repeatedly given a free pass by cops as well as by judges who were lenient when he had been charged with petty crimes.

    Oscar-nominated actor Richard Jenkins will star as Dahmer’s father Lionel, a chemist, who showed him how to safely bleach and preserve animal bones when he was a child, a technique Jeffrey later gave a sinister twist with his victims.

    Also joining the cast is actor Niecy Nash as the female lead, Glenda Cleveland. A neighbour of Dahmer, Cleveland had alerted police and the FBI of his suspicious behavior, but they did not listen. Penelope Ann Miller has been cast in the role of Dahmer’s mother, Joyce.

    Carl Franklin will direct the pilot episode of the series. Janet Mock, who worked with Murphy on Hollywood, will direct and write several episodes.

    Dahmer took the lives of 17 males between 1978 and 1991. He was captured in 1991 and sentenced to 16 life terms, and was killed by convict Christopher Scarver. 

  • Halle Berry joins Mark Wahlberg in Netflix’s ‘Our Man from New Jersey’

    By PTI
    LOS ANGELES: Actor Halle Berry will star alongside Mark Wahlberg in Netflix’s upcoming spy movie “Our Man from New Jersey”.

    The movie, which has a script from screenwriter David Guggenheim, is being touted as “a blue collar James Bond”, reported Variety.

    Wahlberg will also produce the movie with Stephen Levinson, who came up with the story idea.

    Berry is no stranger to spy movies, having previously played Jinx in the James Bond movie “Die Another Day” opposite Pierce Brosnan.

    Her other film credits include movie franchises such as “X-Men” series and “John Wick”, headlined by Keanu Reeves.

    The actor will be making her directorial debut with “Bruised”, which was recently acquired by Netflix.

    Berry will also feature in the streamer’s sci-fi movie “The Mothership”.

  • New IT rules put in place mechanism for adherence to Ethics Code by OTT platforms: Centre to SC

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Centre informed the Supreme Court on Tuesday that the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 put in place an institutional mechanism for adherence of Digital Media Ethics Code by the OTT platforms.

    It said the government was seized of the need for developing an institutional mechanism regarding regulation of audio visual content streamed on OTT platforms and was consulting the stakeholders over the past two years.

    The IT Rules, 2021 also provides for self-classification of audio visual content of such platforms into five age-based categories for informed choice by viewers, it said.

    The Centre said it has received several complaints/ representations from members of civil society, members of Parliament, Chief Ministers regarding the content of programmes being streamed on OTT platforms and the need for putting in place a mechanism to check content on these platforms.

    In an affidavit, filed in a pending petition, the government said it notified the new rules on February 25, to put in place an institutional mechanism for following a code of ethics by Over-The-Top (OTT) players and a redressal of any grievances in this regard.

    “It is respectfully submitted that the answering respondent is seized of the need for developing an institutional mechanism regarding regulation of audio visual content streamed on OTT platforms and has been in active consultation with stakeholders over the period of last two years,” it said.

    “It is humbly submitted that in various jurisdictions across the globe like Singapore, European Union, Australia, etc have also framed similar mechanisms regulating/restricting access to the content on the OTT platforms”, it said.

    The government said the new rules are comprehensive in nature and framed keeping in view the major audience enjoyed by the OTT platforms and maintaining a fine balance so that various age groups are taken into account and a healthy classification is being done.

    It said that the government is taking measures to further strengthen mechanisms in accordance with the rules.

    The Centre’s affidavit has been filed on a plea of one Shashank Shekhar Jha, seeking regulating OTT platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime by an autonomous body.

    The top court had on October 15, last year sought response from the Centre on the plea of Jha and co-petitioner Apurva Arhatia, who have said that a proper board/institution /association for the monitoring and management of content on different OTT/Streaming and digital media platforms was needed.

    “With cinemas theatres unlikely to open anytime soon in the country, OTT/Streaming and different digital media platforms have surely given a way out for filmmakers and artists to release their content without being worried about getting clearance certificates for their films and series from the censor board,” the plea said.

    At present, however, there is no law or autonomous body governing the digital content to monitor and manage these digital contents and it is made available to the public at large without any filter or screening, it said.

    “Lack of legislation governing OTT/Streaming Platforms is becoming evident with each passing day and every new case that is filed on these grounds.”

    “The government is facing heat to fill this lacuna with regulations from the public and the Judiciary; still the relevant government departments have not done anything significant to regularise these OTT/Streaming Platforms,” the plea said.

    None of the OTT/Streaming platforms including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Zee5, and Hotstar have signed the self-regulation provided by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting since February 2020, it said.

    The ministry had earlier told the top court in a separate case that there is a need to regulate digital media and that the court may first appoint a committee of persons as amicus before laying down guidelines with respect to the regulation of hate speech in the media.

  • Keanu Reeves collaborating with Netflix for ‘Brzrkr’ film and anime series

    By PTI
    LOS ANGELES: Hollywood star Keanu Reeves is bringing his comic book series “Brzrkr” to the screen.

    The “John Wick” actor has teamed up with Netflix to develop a live-action film and anime series adaptation of his BOOM! Studios comic series.

    Reeves had launched the comics, which he penned with New York Times bestselling graphic novelist Matt Kindt, in July 2020.

    The 56-year-old actor will headline the feature film first, followed by the anime series, in which he will voice his character, Netflix said in a statement.

    “Brzrkr” (pronounced “berserker”) centres on a violent demigod who has been wandering the earth, searching for answers about his existence.

    “The man known only as B is half-mortal and half-God, cursed and compelled to violence…even at the sacrifice of his sanity. But after wandering the world for centuries, B may have finally found a refuge working for the US government to fight the battles too violent and too dangerous for anyone else.

    “In exchange, B will be granted the one thing he desires the truth about his endless blood-soaked existence…and how to end it,” the official logline read.

    Reeves will produce the projects along with Ross Richie and Stephen Christy for BOOM! Studios and Stephen Hamel for Company Films.

    Adam Yoelin will serve as executive producer.

    The actor recently completed filming for “Matrix 4” and will next start production on the fourth instalment of “John Wick” franchise.

  • ‘Riverdale’ actress Lili Reinhart to lead Netflix movie ‘Plus/Minus’

    By PTI
    LOS ANGELES: Actor Lili Reinhart will topline Netflix’s upcoming feature film “Plus/Minus”.

    The movie will be directed by Wanuri Kahiu, who was behind the popular Kenyan romance “Rafiki”, Netflix said in a press release.

    April Prosser has penned the film’s screenplay.

    Reinhart, 24, will star as Natalie, whose life, on the eve of her college graduation, diverges into two parallel realities: one in which she becomes pregnant and must navigate motherhood as a young adult in her Texas hometown, the other in which she moves to L.A. to pursue her career.

    In both journeys throughout her 20s, Natalie experiences life-changing love, devastating heartbreak, and rediscovers herself.

    “Plus/Minus” will be produced by Screen Arcade’s Bryan Unkeless and Eric Newman alongside Jessica Malanaphy of CatchLight Studios.

    Alyssa Rodrigues will serve as the executive producer.

    Reinhart, who broke out with popular CW series “Riverdale”, most recently featured in movies such as “Hustlers” and “Chemical Hearts”.

  • ‘Bird Box’ Spanish spin-off movie in the works at Netflix

    By PTI
    LOS ANGELES: Netflix’s blockbuster post-apocalyptic thriller movie “Bird Box”, fronted by Sandra Bullock, is getting a Spanish-language spin-off. The project will reunite Netflix with Dylan Clark and Chris Morgan, producers of the Susanne Bier-directed original movie that released in 2018.

    According to Deadline, the streaming platform has roped in Alex and David Pastor, the duo behind sci-fi thrillers “Carriers” and “Self/less”, to write and direct the spin-off. Adrian Guerra and Nuria Valls are producing the project for Spanish outfit Nostromo Pictures.

    Executive producers are Bier, Ainsley Davies for Chris Morgan Productions, and Brian Williams for Dylan Clark Productions. The yet to be titled movie will start production by the end of this year in Spain. “Bird Box”, an adaptation of Josh Malerman’s novel of the same name, was set in a world in which demonic entities that if seen, drive humans to kill themselves or each other.

    Bullock starred as a woman who tries to navigate that dangerous world, using a blindfold and caged birds, while also trying to protect her children.

  • Netflix gets notice from top child rights body for ‘wrongful’ depiction of kids in ‘Bombay Begum’

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights on Thursday issued a notice to OTT platform Netflix for the ‘wrongful’ depiction of kids in the web series “Bombay Begum” and asked it to submit an action taken report within 24 hours.

    The Commission has taken strong exception to a minor having been shown taking cocaine at a party in a scene. 

    In a two-page notice, the Commission has said that “from normalization casual sex by minors, web series are now normalising the use of drugs”.

    The notice follows complaints received by the Commission from two Twitter handles.

    The apex child rights body has also taken into cognizance a scene from the series where minors are shown taking pictures of their “developed body parts” and send them to a classmate.

    “…series with this kind of content will not only pollute the young minds of the children, and may also lead to abuse and exploitation of children in the hands of perpetrators/ offenders(sic),” says the notice.

    The NCPCR does not allow representing, portraying, or glorifying children in India in such a manner on any media platform/ internet/ OTT platform, the notice said.

    Netflix should take extra precaution in streaming any content in respect to children or for children, the strong-worded letter by the Commission has also said.

    The development comes soon after another web series ‘Taandav’ on Amazon Prime was forced to edit parts of its content following a major controversy. The series had been charged with “ridiculing Hindu Gods and Goddesses.”

  • Netflix creates ‘Fast Laughs’, a TikTok clone to scroll through funny clips

    By ANI
    WASHINGTON: Streaming service Netflix has launched a new mobile feature that will provide its subscribers the opportunity to get their dose of laughter, without having to watch a whole TV show or movie.

    According to The Verge, Fast Laughs, which at the moment is only available for iOS device owners in select countries, looks and feels very similar to TikTok or Instagram Reels. The concept is that different short clips, which are taken from shows like ‘Big Mouth’ or stand-up specials from comedians like Jerry Seinfeld and Ali Wong, will play directly within the Netflix app.

    If any of the shows, films, or comedy specials sparks interest, people can add the said title to their saved list to watch later. Patrick Flemming, director of product innovation at Netflix, said, “We’re always looking for new ways to entertain and make discovery easier for members.”

    He added that Fast Laughs is a “new full-screen feed of funny clips from a wide variety of Netflix titles, ranging from films and series to our deep bench of stand-up specials.”

    Considering the growth and prominence of TikTok in the market right now, Fast Laughs makes sense for Netflix. Netflix’s last few earnings reports have specifically referenced TikTok as a major competitor. Though Netflix and TikTok make different types of content, people are spending more time on TikTok, which results in less time on Netflix.

    As per The Verge, to access Fast Laughs, subscribers can use the bottom navigation menu to click on the Fast Laughs tab. Netflix will start testing Fast Laughs on Android devices soon. 

  • Rege-Jean Page joins Chris Evans, Ryan Gosling, Dhanush in ‘The Gray Man’

    By ANI
    WASHINGTON: Actor Rege-Jean Page, the breakout star of 2020, has joined the star-studded cast of the Russo Brothers’ new action thriller ‘The Gray Man’.

    As per E! News, currently, it is unclear who Page will play in the upcoming film. The forthcoming Netflix film also stars Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, and Indian superstar Dhanush. The project will be helmed by Anthony and Joe Russo, the team behind four movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe including ‘Avengers: Endgame’.

    The action thriller, being touted as the biggest-budget feature film in the streaming service’s history, will also star Billy Bob Thornton, Alfre Woodard, Ana de Armas, Jessica Henwick, Wagner Moura, and Julia Butters.

    The film marks Armas’ reunion with Gosling, with whom she worked in 2017’s ‘Blade Runner 2049’, as well as Evans, her co-star from Rian Johnson’s 2019 whodunnit ‘Knives Out’.

    ‘The Gray Man’ is based on the 2009 novel of the same name by Mark Greaney. The titular character, played in the film by Gosling, is Court Gentry, a former CIA operative who now works as an assassin. However, the killer becomes the prey when he is targeted by a former operative, played by Evans, in a worldwide pursuit.

    Production for the upcoming film will reportedly start in Los Angeles this March. Anthony and Joe will be producing the forthcoming project through their AGBO banner.

    Joe wrote the script, with ‘Avengers: Endgame’ screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely polishing the final draft. AGBO’s Mike Larocca, along with Joe Roth and Jeff Kirschenbaum for Roth Kirschenbaum, are also on board as producers.

    Apart from ‘The Gray Man’, Page will also be starring in the highly-anticipated film ‘Dungeons and Dragons’, which is expected to be released next year. He will be seen in the action-adventure movie with Hugh Grant and Michelle Rodriguez. Page rose to fame after starring in the Netflix romantic period drama titled ‘Bridgerton’.