Netflix Forces Action Stars to Dumb Down Movies for Phone Users
Hollywood A-listers reveal shocking behind-the-scenes demands from streaming giant that completely reshape how blockbusters get made. The changes might surprise you.
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck just dropped some serious truth bombs about Netflix's creative control. The Oscar-winning duo appeared on Joe Rogan's podcast to discuss their latest streaming project and what they learned was pretty eye-opening.
Both actors have been making movies together for decades. Their first collaboration even won them an Academy Award for screenwriting. But the game has changed completely since then.
The New Action Movie Formula
Damon explained how Netflix basically rewrote the rulebook for action films. Traditional Hollywood wisdom called for three major action sequences spread across the movie. You'd build up to the biggest, most expensive finale in the third act.
Netflix had different ideas entirely. "Can we get a big one in the first five minutes? We want people to stay tuned in. And it wouldn't be terrible if you reiterated the plot three or four times in the dialogue because people are on their phones while they're watching," Damon recalled the streaming service telling them.
The reasoning is pretty blunt. Netflix assumes viewers aren't paying full attention. They're scrolling, texting, doing other things while movies play in the background.
Content Over Storytelling
Anyone who watches Netflix regularly probably recognizes this approach. Most of their original productions share a similar feel. Stories seem thinner. Characters feel less developed. The platform isn't trying to make you think too hard about what you're watching.
Movies and shows become "content" rather than art. That might sound harsh, but it reflects how streaming works today. Everything needs to be easily digestible.
Breaking the Mold
Not every Netflix production follows these rules though. Affleck pointed to "Adolescence" as proof that different approaches can work. "But then you look at Adolescence, and it didn't do any of that sh-t. And it's f-ing great. And it's dark too. It's tragic and intense. [It's about] this guy who finds out his kid is accused of murder, and there are long shots of the back of their heads. They get in the car, nobody says anything."
Damon agreed the show "feels more like the exception" and called it "masterfully made." Affleck's response was simple: "It demonstrates that you don't need to do any of that sh-t."
The conversation reveals how streaming platforms shape creative decisions behind the scenes. What viewers see on screen gets influenced by data about viewing habits and attention spans. Whether that's good or bad for storytelling remains an open question.