In a sternly-worded Tweet sent Wednesday night, Academy Award winner Marshall Mathers took direct aim at Netflix’s chief content officer Ted Sarandos and his entire development team. According to the rapper, who performs under the stage name Eminem, recent programming decisions made by the streaming giant have put the entire company’s future at risk. Mathers specifically pointed to the recent cancellation of The Punisher as an emblem of the company’s lack of vision. “YOU ARE BLOWING IT!!!” Mathers wrote:
Despite his harsh words for Netflix’s managerial team, Mathers signed off with “sincerely,” which savvy observers of the business and entertainment worlds believe indicates his openness to further discussions with Netflix about the network’s future. It’s too early to speculate as to the effect Mathers’ statement will have on the business partnership between Netflix and Marvel. The two studios joined forces in 2015 to co-produce what ultimately became six television series: Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Defenders, and The Punisher. But all six shows had been canceled as Disney prepared to launch its own streaming service, and the partnership was winding down, at least before Wednesday. Neither studio has commented on Mathers’ broadside or the possibility of bringing back The Punisher yet, but it’s only a matter of time. While we wait, 8 Mile is streaming on Netflix.
