Matt Damon has exposed a significant shift in how Netflix approaches filmmaking, revealing the streaming giant asks creators to repeat plot points multiple times because viewers are often scrolling their phones instead of watching.
The 55-year-old Oscar winner made the candid admission during an appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience alongside Ben Affleck, where the pair were promoting their new crime thriller, The Rip. Despite the film streaming exclusively on Netflix, Damon did not hold back on how the platform's creative demands differ from traditional cinema, according to Unilad.
The Church vs the Living Room
Damon drew a stark contrast between the theatrical experience and home streaming. Recalling a recent IMAX screening, he described cinemas as communal spaces akin to worship. 'I always say it's more like going to church — you show up at an appointed time. It doesn't wait for you,' he said.
Home viewing presents an entirely different challenge. 'You're watching in a room, the lights are on, other s**t's going on, the kids are running around, the dogs are running around,' Damon explained. 'It's just a very different level of attention that you're willing, or that you're able to give to it.'
This fragmented attention has forced Netflix to rethink its storytelling requirements techniques. Damon revealed that the traditional three-act structure — where the climactic action sequence arrives in the final act — has been upended.
'The standard way to make an action movie, that we learned, was you usually have three set pieces. One in the first act, one in the second, one in the third — and the big one with all the explosions and you spend most of your money on that one in the third act,' Damon said. 'Now, [Netflix is] like, 'Can we get a big one in the first five minutes?' We want people to stay tuned in.'
Beyond pacing, Netflix's demands extend to dialogue. 'And it wouldn't be terrible if you reiterated the plot three or four times in the dialogue because people are on their phones while they're watching,' Damon added.
Why Second Screens Matter to Studios
Research supports Damon's observations. A YouGov study across 17 markets found that a majority of viewers reported frequently looking at their mobile devices while watching television — with 55% of American and British viewers admitting to this habit.
Industry insiders have noted that Netflix executives have historically told showrunners that their scenes are not 'second screen enough', reasoning that if a viewer's primary screen is their phone, the content should challenge them enough to stay engaged.
Damon warned that this practice could have long-term consequences. 'It's going to really start to infringe on how we're telling these stories,' he cautioned.
Not All Streaming Content Follows the Formula
Affleck offered a counterpoint, citing the critically acclaimed Netflix series Adolescence as proof that demanding, less formulaic content can still succeed. 'But then you look at Adolescence and it didn't do any of that sh*t and it was f**king great,' he noted.
The Rip itself exemplifies a broader shift in how Damon and Affleck approach streaming. Through their production company, Artists Equity, the pair negotiated an unprecedented deal that offers performance-based bonuses to all 1,200 cast and crew members if the film, which costs nearly $100 million (£74.65 million), meets certain viewership benchmarks.
'We wanted to institute fairness and address some of the real issues that are present and urgent for our business,' Affleck told the New York Times. The deal marks the first time Netflix has agreed to such a performance-based compensation structure, departing from its model of paying only upfront fees.
The Future of Streaming Content
For viewers wondering why streaming films and series sometimes feel repetitive or formulaic, Damon's insights offer a clear explanation: the algorithm now shapes much of the creative process. As streaming platforms adapt to new viewing behaviours, the content itself is evolving, with storytelling often tailored to keep distracted audiences engaged from start to finish.
