Netflix Teases Dave Chappelle's New Year's Eve Special 'The Dreamer'

The special, narrated by Morgan Freeman and directed by Stan Lathan, marks Chappelle's return to Netflix following controversy over his previous special 'The Closer'.

Netflix has released a teaser for Dave Chappelle's upcoming New Year's Eve special, 'The Dreamer', which was shot in Chappelle's hometown of Washington, DC at the historic Lincoln Theatre.
The special is narrated by Morgan Freeman and directed by Emmy Award winner Stan Lathan, who has directed all seven of Chappelle's specials for Netflix.
'The Dreamer' follows Chappelle's last special, 'The Closer', which sparked backlash for being perceived as transphobic and homophobic, leading to a virtual walkout from hundreds of Netflix employees.
Despite the controversy, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos defended 'The Closer' and stated that it was in line with the platform's stance towards 'artistic expression'.
'The Dreamer' marks Chappelle's first Netflix release since 'What’s in a Name?' in 2022, which captured the comedian’s 40-minute speech to his alma mater, the Duke Ellington School of the Arts.