Netflix gears up for more shows and movies

TUDUM 2023: Constantinos Psillides looks at what to expect from the streaming behemoth

The annual Netflix showcase TUDUM, named after the sound from the start of every Netflix show or movie, wrapped up last week, and we are here to report on everything you can expect from the streaming behemoth. Netflix is currently riding on a high, with Disney+ cutting back on productions and HBO Max crumbling (more on that next week in our newest chapter of Stream Wars), and its showcase reflected just that. It was extravagant, over the top and set an aggressive agenda for the future.

Here are the highlights.

Rebel Moon: First look at Zack Snyder’s ambitious space opera

Zack Snyder, the director behind the doomed DC Universe, is long rumoured to have been working on a massive project for Netflix called Rebel Moon, and at TUDUM we got a glimpse of it. A four-minute behind the scenes video showing off the high-production value of the movie and the A-list actors starring in it. This is an original story written by Snyder, and it takes place in the farthest reaches of the universe, where the evil Imperium threatens a peaceful colony. A rag-tag band of warriors is assembled to protect the colony and thwart the Imperium’s plans, taking the fight to them.

Inspired by legendary director Akira Kurosawa’s timeless Seven Samurai, Rebel Moon looks massive, promises to be thrilling, and according to rumours floating around, it is intended to be a franchise starter.

Rebel Moon is expected to be released on December 22, 2023.

Even more Hemsworth

Barely a week after Extraction 2 was released, Chris Hemsworth appeared on TUDUM to announce that more Tyler Rake will come! Extraction 3 was announced to the screams of an adoring audience and to the joy of Chris, who will return for a big, hefty paycheck. Just a side note here. Regardless of whether you liked Extraction 2, you just have to watch the awe-inspiring 21-minute one-shot sequence that includes a prison yard brawl with over 50 extras in shot at all times. It is an almost impossible feat and a stunning example of choreographed cinematography. Do yourselves a favour.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Not to be confused with blue-skinned natives of Pandora, Avatar: The Last Airbender is one of the most beloved cartoons in the world. The story of young Aang, an Airbender (able to manipulate the element of air) who is destined to become an Avatar (a person able to bend all four elements, Earth, Water, Air and Fire) and who gets cold feet and flees, only to be trapped in ice and resurrected years into the future in a world on the brink of destruction. A live-action movie attempt by M. Night Shyamalan was an utter disaster, with fans accusing the director of veering too far from the source material and whitewashing the series. When Netflix announced a new live-action series, fans were less than excited, given the platform’s track record when it comes to live-action animation. TUDUM gave us the first teaser for the series and stills from the production featuring the main characters. Avatar is a huge bet for Netflix, given that the series has a rich backstory and a sequel series, as it could be another franchise creator.

Avatar is expected to be released in 2024

Game of Thrones creators are back

The duo behind the global phenomenon series Game of Thrones, DB Weiss and David Benioff, are officially back with their first major partnership after the HBO series finale, in a final season that was almost universally hated. The duo are adapting yet another book series, this time the sci-fi trilogy Remembrance of Earth’s Past or, as it is most commonly known, The 3-Body Problem. Written by Chinese Liu Cixin, The 3-Body Problem deals with a fictional past where Earth is visited by aliens inhabiting three planets close to our solar system. The people of Earth form into different factions, those who want to fight the alien invasion and those who want to welcome them, in a fight that changes the fabric of time. The series is supposedly even bigger than GoT, as the first season is broken down into 24 episodes, each an hour long!

The 3-Body Problem will premiere in January 2024.

Beloved shows making a return

The global sleeper hit Squid Game will be back for a second season of twisted games in 2024, period drama Bridgerton is tying its corset for a third season premiering sometime in late 2023, while the serial-killer psychological drama You will be making a bloody splash for its 5th and final season sometime in 2024.