Netflix seems to break headlines on a daily basis now, announcing a continual succession of high-profile partnerships. The latest deal teams the world’s biggest streaming service/network/movie studio with one of Hollywood’s biggest names: Look out everyone, it’s Netflix and Leo.
DiCaprio and his production company Appian Way have agreed to work with Netflix on a series of upcoming documentaries and “docu-series” projects that will debut exclusively on the streaming service. The projects are expected to focus primarily on DiCaprio’s biggest off-screen passion, the environment, with the actor serving as producer or executive producer on each film or series.
The deal spins out of DiCaprio’s collaboration with Netflix on the recent documentary Virunga, about a small group of people risking everything to protect the few remaining mountain gorillas amid a civil war in Africa. The film was nominated for an Academy Award this year.
“Working with Netflix on Virunga has sparked a shared vision about projects that we want to develop and bring to viewers,” said DiCaprio in a statement accompanying the announcement. “There’s never been a more critical time for our planet or more of a need for gifted storytellers to help us all make sense of the issues we face. Through this partnership with Netflix, I hope to give documentary filmmakers doing urgent and important work the chance to have their films seen immediately by audiences all around the world.”
