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Matt Damon Says Netflix Pushes Early Action Beats and Repeated Plot Lines for Phone‑Distracted Viewers

The remarks land alongside The Rip’s Netflix debut featuring a rare performance‑based bonus for its 1,200 cast and crew.

Overview

  • In a Joe Rogan interview, Damon said Netflix has urged filmmakers to stage a major set piece within the first five minutes and to reiterate the plot three or four times because many viewers watch while on their phones.
  • Damon cautioned that such retention‑driven guidance could begin to infringe on how stories are told.
  • Ben Affleck noted that not every Netflix project follows those practices, citing the crime series Adolescence as a slower, more restrained counterexample.
  • Damon did not say whether the suggested techniques were directed at The Rip specifically, and Business Insider reported that Netflix did not respond to requests for comment over the weekend.
  • Affleck and Damon secured a first‑of‑its‑kind deal making all roughly 1,200 cast and crew on The Rip eligible for a one‑time performance bonus if the film does well on Netflix, which began streaming the title on January 16.