Judd Apatow's new Netflix movie was hiding inside a farce
Netflix promoted a movie within a movie
Editor's note: We're always trying to find the newest best Netflix movies, and while Judd Apatow may have an interesting project in the queue, it was hiding in plain sight at the moment. The original story continues as follows, but we've also added the new trailer below.
Because, seriously, folks: why on earth would Netflix promote something called Cliff Beasts 6: Battle For Everest - Memories Of A Requiem when there hasn't even been a Cliff Beasts 1 (not to mention the sequels).
On Wednesday (March 2) Netflix released the farcical teaser trailer you can see below, and there's a poster, which depict a movie that looks like a cross between Jurassic World and the 1993 Sly Stallone vehicle Cliffhanger. And while Netflix is known to put out stuff that many would turn their noses up at, there are two clues here that this is something different.
First off, the amount of obvious green-screen work in this clip looks intentionally obvious (more on why below). Second of all? It's teased for April 1, which just feels like a giant proverbial Post-it note that this is not what it appears to be. Except, though, The Bubble is actually coming out on April 1.
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As for the real movie?
And while experts who were tracking Judd Apatow's projects might have pieced the next parts of this together, the director himself tweeted about the film, writing "It’s finally here. They made us wait long enough! I hope the sixth one is better than the fourth one."
This is where it all becomes obvious, as folks remembered that Apatow has been working on a film about actors working on an action-movie mid-pandemic (which would explain all the green screen). The film, dubbed The Bubble, was set to feature many of the actors seen in this trailer including Karen Gillan, Keegan-Michael Key and Leslie Mann.
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Things got even more intricate, though, when Netflix and Looper partnered to make this five-minute long history of the Cliff Beasts movies:
We're not ruling out an April 1 release for The Bubble, but all of the above stacks up to a pretty simple puzzle to decode. And that we're likely going to get an entry for our best Netflix comedies list than our best Netflix action movies list.
As for why they're mocking the Jurassic Park/World franchise? Well, if any franchise was more due to be taken down a peg or two, we'd say it's up there.
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In a world where Marvel movies and shows dominate the conversation, comedies tend to have a harder time getting any of the oxygen. So I'm not shocked to see Netflix and Apatow take this unconventional route to getting attention.
Empire says the above teaser trailer hints that the real trailer for The Bubble is coming out this Friday, but we can't figure out why. If this were up to us, we'd consider spending a little more time promoting the fake movie before you make the reveal.
But maybe I'm wrong and this is another example of why I'm a writer and the Netflix executives are the ones in charge.
Henry is a managing editor at Tom’s Guide covering streaming media, laptops and all things Apple, reviewing devices and services for the past seven years. Prior to joining Tom's Guide, he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine. He's also covered the wild world of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats, interviewing athletes and other industry veterans.