Matt Damon says Netflix is pushing filmmakers to rethink how action movies are structured to keep viewers engaged in an era of constant distraction. Speaking on the Joe Rogan Experience alongside Ben Affleck, Damon explained that the streaming platform has suggested placing major action sequences within the first five minutes and repeating key plot points, assuming many viewers are watching while on their phones.
Damon warned that these changes risk undermining traditional storytelling, where the biggest and most expensive action set pieces are typically reserved for the third act. He said this approach could “really infringe on how we’re telling a story.”
The comments came as Damon and Affleck discussed their new Netflix-exclusive heist film, The Rip, which they co-star in and co-produced. Damon did not clarify whether Netflix applied these notes directly to their film. Netflix declined to comment.
Affleck added that not all Netflix projects follow this model, pointing to the crime miniseries Adolescence, which features episodes shot in a single continuous take. Still, Damon suggested such projects are the exception rather than the rule, while Affleck argued that filmmakers should focus on making the best possible work, regardless of shifting audience habits.