Hollywood stars Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have seemingly confirmed a bizarre and long-speculated rumour about the storytelling tactics used in Netflix original films. The actors, while promoting their new Netflix action movie 'The Rip', appeared to let slip that the streaming giant mandates specific script rules to cater to viewers who are distracted by their phones.
The Podcast Revelation
During an appearance on Joe Rogan's podcast this week, the conversation turned to the changing nature of film consumption and the dominance of mobile devices. It was here that Damon detailed the specific guidelines they encountered while making their film for the platform.
"The standard way to make an action movie, we learnt [years ago], is you usually have three set pieces," Damon explained. "One in the first act, one in the second, one in the third. You spend most of your money on that one in the third act. That's your finale. And now [Netflix] are like, 'Can we get a big one in the first five minutes? We want people to stay'."
He then delivered the bombshell, quoting Netflix executives directly: "'And it wouldn't be terrible if you reiterated the plot three or four times in the dialogue because people are on their phones while they're watching'. It's really going to start to infringe on telling stories."
Context and Industry Speculation
This admission appears to validate years of speculation from critics and viewers. In 2025, journalist Will Tavlin wrote in n+1 that Netflix's approach was designed for "casual viewers" who multitask. He noted characters often "announce what they're doing so that viewers who have this programme on in the background can follow along".
While Netflix has never officially commented on these practices, Damon's candid remarks offer a rare glimpse behind the curtain of the streaming giant's content strategy. The revelation suggests a deliberate shift in narrative construction, prioritising constant engagement over subtle storytelling.
A Critical Exception and Backlash
Affleck was quick to interject, pointing out that not all Netflix content follows this formula. He cited the film 'Adolescence' as a counter-example. "But then you look at Adolescence and it didn't do any of that s***," Affleck said. "And it's f***ing great." Damon conceded it felt "more the exception," while Affleck concluded it proved such rules were unnecessary.
Somewhat ironically, their own film, 'The Rip' – in which they play Miami cops who find stolen cash – was criticised for suffering from these very issues. The Independent's film critic Clarisse Loughrey wrote that it was "afflicted with the Netflix curse of dialogue written exclusively for people who are busy scrolling on their phones."
The actors' comments have sparked a fresh debate about the artistic compromises demanded by algorithm-driven content and the future of cinematic storytelling in the age of second-screen viewing. The discussion on Rogan's podcast also touched on Damon's views on 'cancel culture', which attracted separate attention.
