Netflix users bewildered by news original Oscar-winning movie is being removed

Jacob Stolworthy
·2 min read

Netflix users are confused all over again following the news that one of its most acclaimed films is being taken down.

The streaming service removes titles from its library around the world every month due to the expiration of licencing agreements – but users have been led to believe that releases released under the “Netflix Original” label would remain on the service indefinitely.

However, it has become clear in the last year that this is not the case – Hemlock Grove and the Netflix-produced season of Arrested Development were two such casualties, which sparked an outcry at the time of their removal.

Now, in what will be one of Netflix’s highest-profile removals, Oscar-winning drama The Power of the Dog (2021) will be leaving the service in the UK in August.

This is due to the fact that Netflix is not the sole distributor of the film. BBC Films also helped produce the movie; its arrival on BBC iPlayer in the weeks after its departure from Netflix seems likely.

In fact, it seems The Power of the Dog’s streaming future will be similar to that of the BBC Films-backed horror film His House, which was released as a Netflix Original before being taken down and added to iPlayer. While it’s not available to watch there all the time, it’s added regularly and, at the time of writing, is currently available to stream.

Unlike other shows to be removed, The Power of the Dog is available to watch elsewhere – whether to download or to buy on DVD and Blu-ray.

But Netflix users have until 19 August to stream the film, which won Jane Campion the Best Director Oscar. The film stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons and Kodi Smit-McPhee.

The Power of the Dog is not the only acclaimed original Netflix film to be removed in August: the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry adaptation, The Little Prince (2015), will also be taken down.

‘The Power of the Dog’, starring Jesse Plemons, is leaving Netflix UK (Netflix)
‘The Power of the Dog’, starring Jesse Plemons, is leaving Netflix UK (Netflix)

As it was acquired by Netflix after distribution in France by Paramount Pictures, the film will move to Paramount+ on 5 August.

Users have been left bewildered by the removal, with many urging others to buy physical copies of the films they want to own. “What. The. F***?” one person wrote in response to the news, with another adding: “Please tell me it’s not true.”

Find the full list of every movie and TV series being taken off of Netflix this month here.