Netflix is about to lose one of its most prestigious Netflix Original films (and one of the best Netflix movies): The Power of the Dog. The Benedict Cumberbatch-led film from Jane Campion won't be leaving our market in the U.S., though.
Instead, The Power of the Dog is leaving Netflix in the UK on August 19th, giving our friends across the pond 16 or so days to watch (or rewatch the film). This will come as a surprise to many considering how Netflix Originals (and most exclusive shows and movies) rarely leave their service of origin — except for the recent wave that Warner Bros. Discovery started on Max (then HBO Max) last year.
Previously, Netflix only pulled this kind of move once, erasing Hemlock Grove, one of its earliest originals, last October. That decision, and those from WBD, were seen as a way to re-align the balance books, and stop paying costs such as residuals.
For example, not only was the HBO series Westworld pulled from HBO Max, but it was sent off to free ad-supported TV (FAST) such as Tubi and the Roku Channel. But The Power of the Dog's departure doesn't seem to be for the same reason.
That's because The Power of the Dog — in the UK — could simply be reverting to one of its co-producers, the BBC. That's just a hypothetical at this point, but it makes sense considering how it's only disappearing in Netflix UK and the BBC being located there.
Analysis: Don't expect stability in streaming
All of the above, though, only highlights how streaming service subscriptions are far from a guarantee to eternal access. Just like how customers can cancel their Netflix whenever they feel like it, contracts terminate all the time.
This is part of why yours truly collects optical media, to have a permanent library of the titles I truly care about. Similarly, you can own The Power of the Dog in 4K with the Criterion Collection.
For now, though, Americans and others can feel some safety with regards to this film since it's not on the list of movies leaving U.S. Netflix any time soon.
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