Harry’s documentary snub to Netf lix chiefs
Rival channel Hulu screens film in which duke talks about family
Prince Harry’s invictus Games documentary has started screening on streaming channel Hulu – in what appears to be a slap in the face for rival netflix, where he has a five-year deal.
An unannounced one- off show, in which the Duke of Sussex talks about his family and his devotion to the Games, began streaming on Disneyowned Hulu yesterday.
Called Prince Harry’s Mission: Life, Family And The invictus Games, it is based on interviews given by Harry to ABc news in canada this month. it includes his appearance on Good Morning America on February 16 when he says he was glad to have flown to the UK to be by King charles’ side after his cancer diagnosis.
A senior source at netflix said that Harry and wife Meghan remain under a contract with them, but appeared to be taken by surprise by the news.
A senior TV news producer tells me Harry will have had to know about the use of the interview and will have had to sign a release form to allow ABc to make it into a documentary for Hulu.
Speculation about the status of Harry and Meghan’s relation
‘Taken by surprise by the news’
ship with netflix has reached fever pitch after they relaunched their business and charitable ventures under a new Sussex. com website – but it failed to the streaming channel by name in the Archewell productions section.
Sources have told this newspaper there is dissatisfaction on both sides over the netflix deal, signed in late 2020. Although it was reported to be worth $100million, netflix is said to simply be covering the overheads of the production company Archewell to the tune of around $3million and further income is dependent on the couple delivering projects.
So far, they have delivered the blockbuster documentary titled Harry & Meghan, plus a film about invictus and its work called Heart of invictus. A film adaptation of the romance novel Meet Me At The Lake is planned – though there is no script yet and its not clear if the couple have settled on a writer.
Other projects including a TV show and another documentary were said by netflix executive Bela Bajaria to be in the ‘early early stages’ of development.
It’s thought that Harry and Meghan may have only received around $ 20million from the streamer so far, all told, with one source saying that the netflix deal is essentially a dead duck.
Representatives for netflix have been contacted for comment.
■ Donald Trump last night said he ‘wouldn’t protect’ Prince Harry days after a court showdown over the release of the duke’s US immigration papers.
The former president said Harry had ‘betrayed the Queen’, an act that was ‘unforgivable’ in his view. Mr Trump raised questions over whether Harry could stay in America if he wins a second term, saying he ‘would be on his own if it was down to me’.