Netflix is no stranger to receiving backlash for its contentious and downright questionable capitalistic choices. Regardless of its continuous issues, the platform, at this point in time, has become known for its myriad of announcements regarding its latest news. On the one hand, we have those bits and pieces of information that nearly every single user of the streaming giant despises, and then comes an announcement regarding the world’s biggest star — Dwayne Johnson — making everyone lose their minds. Talk about being heterogenous.
Despite this mixed bag of news, Netflix has achieved an all-time high regarding its user increase. As per Nielsen’s new data, Netflix — alongside Disney Plus and YouTube — has maintained its hegemony over all the remaining streaming platforms in existence. June has never looked better and more colorful for the company after so many achievements, so it’s fair to assume that not all of their choices are that dubious. Still, the week is just starting for many, and there’s plenty to unveil.
HBO’s Ballers starring Dwayne Johnson is the new addition to the Netflix-HBO deal
If you haven’t been living under a rock, then you’ve surely witnessed Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s ascension to A-lister, undeniably earning the title of one of the biggest stars Hollywood has ever seen. Seriously, almost all of his works are straight hits. Almost. Of course, we can’t always look past the bad and the ugly, but this time, it seems that the Netflix deal struck with HBO might just get the best of The Rock’s repertoire, and that’s none other than the sports drama series, Ballers.
Comprised of five seasons, the series will be added to Netflix’s repertoire – right after Steven Spielberg’s World War II classic, Band of Brothers. This new addition quickly overshadowed the first HBO show coming to Netflix — Insecure — and it will surely become a ginormous hit because of starring The Rock himself. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, or at least, that’s what Netflix should be saying to HBO.
Even with the imminent skyrocketing success of Barbie, Netflix still won’t lay down its cards for a fantasy adaptation
In about a day (if you’re in the U.K.), you’ll be able to finally watch Greta Gerwig’s take on Mattel’s Barbie. Unfortunately, that may just be the only Mattel production you’ll be able to see on your screen this year – that is if it depends on Netflix. Despite promising Mattel a hefty investment in the project, the platform just wasn’t willing to spend more than $150 million to have He-Man reprise his role as the strongest hero in all the land, or at least, in Masters of the Universe.
Sadly, the news was confirmed by Masters of the Universe parent company itself when Mattel confirmed the split with Netflix. Even if the CEO Ynon Kreiz hoped it to be bigger than Marvel and DC, Netflix’s officials might’ve not seen eye to eye and opted to axe the production before it even set off. Still, the bidding rights to produce Masters of the Universe are still running rampant, as the CEO remains hopeful for the live-action film finally coming to life. It just won’t be under Netflix anymore, surprise surprise.
Netflix once again makes a questionable choice and removes the cheapest plan in the U.S.
In a complete twist from all the faith users still placed on the platform, Netflix is once again pulling the rabbit out of the hat. You might be familiar with the giant’s new rules regarding password sharing, but what you may not know is that Netflix’s efforts to monetize it even further actually proved fruitful. What’s more, Netflix removed the cheapest and most basic ad-free plan in all of the U.S. and U.K.
Perhaps in an attempt to profit even more off of its users — after proving it does work — the platform no longer allows users to opt for the $9.99 (£6.99)/month plan. In reality, if you’re already subscribed to that plan, you can still maintain it for the time being, however, for anyone hoping to downgrade to a cheaper option, you’re out of luck. For now, the only available plans are: the $6.99 (£4.99)/month ad-supported tier, the $15.49 (£10.99)/month standard plan, or the $19.99 (£15.99)/month premium plan.
The removal of the plan was piloted in Canada just last month, and from now on, you either enjoy the ads or pay the corporations. Neither is ideal, but if you’re like us and can’t let go of your streaming device, you can still find a way to watch shows in HD by paying up a buck. Win some, lose some (more).