Ben Affleck calls Netflix an “assembly line” when setting goals for a new venture with Matt Damon
In the world of upcoming movies, The lineup of originals and ongoing franchises in the Netflix stable seems to be evolving. Netflix’s 2022 Original Movies slate was pretty aggressive and managed to generate some big hits. That hasn’t stopped creatives like actor/director/producer Ben Affleck from calling the studio/streamer an “assembly line” and discussing how his and Matt Damon’s company will set itself apart from the rest of the market.
During his appearance at the New York Times’ DealBook Summit this week, Ben Affleck (via meeting) seemed to challenge Netflix’s habit of releasing a ton of content each year. Ben Affleck, who is formulating a kind of mission statement for what his new studio Artists Equity will do differently, reflects on the mega-streamer model as follows:
If you ask Reed Hastings… I’m sure there’s some risk in that and I’m sure they had a great strategy, but I would have said, ‘How are we going to make 50 great movies?! How is that possible? There is no committee big enough. There isn’t enough – you just can’t do it. It’s a thing that takes attention and dedication and work and resists the assembly line process. Scott Stuber is a really talented, intelligent guy that I really like… but it’s an impossible job.
The star was a champion of the Netflix movie experience while doing triple border, and his comments don’t exactly betray his previously expressed belief. On the contrary, this seems more like a critique of the pace of production the studio is dealing with. With a major film and television release scheduled for each week, quality control of Ben Affleck and Matt Damon with Artists Equity would not be possible.
The Oscar winner addressed this point in this Q&A and deepened his perspective on the streamer’s business practices. The veteran actor emphasized that focus on quality over quantity, adding the following words as further proof that he means business when competing with the studio we’ve been given potential franchise drivers like The gray man, Red noticeand extraction:
There’s a bigger audience for action movies than small dramas – I get that. Certain genres are playing more broadly and you have to keep that in mind. But let’s make a good one, let’s surprise the audience, let’s make them care.
The seriousness of bot Ben Affleck and Matt Damon when it comes to making movies is never in question. After all, this is the duo that cried together while making goodwill hunt the success it was. With the film’s lasting impact on film history to this day, Artists Equity seems to have these types of experiences and projects in mind as it furthers its journey. It’s not that Affleck disagrees with Netflix’s business model at all, as much as it sounds like he’s playing more towards the “show” half of “show business.”
Right now, Ben Affleck fans can catch his latest appearance as part of the cameo store Employees III, which is now available in physical and digital formats to rent or own. To learn more about how this film was a part of Rekindle Affleck’s friendship with Kevin Smithcan you check out ReelBlend’s final interview with Smith to learn more. And you’ll be able to see him on the big screen next year, when The Lightning hits theaters on June 23 as part of the 2023 film release schedule.
