Not to shit on Shenmue, but why would Netflix be even remotely interested in anything to do with that franchise? Especially after the most recent entry in the series, rightly or wrongly, is perceived to be a flop and a failure, both critically and financially.
Netflix have had a fair amount of success recently with video game adaptations. There’s a ready made audience and they’d have the ability to help shape it into something palatable. I’m not saying it’s an easy sell or anything, but they’ve picked up smaller projects in the past.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought Netflix used to pick up anything and everything but are now far more difficult to pitch to?
I’ve been out of the industry for a while now, but from what I hear from those I know still working in it Netflix are actually expanding their search for new content in an attempt to compete with new entrants to the streaming market.
A documentary and a live action or anime film/series are two very different things, but surely if you're willing to pick up a show based on Shenmue, you'd then be more open to the documentary? I mean the two things kind accommodate each other pretty well, don't you think? A bit like Netflix had a series called Dirty John based on a true story and they also released a documentary about the real event. In fact, now I think about it, that's pretty common on Netflix. So my point wasn't that they are similar in isolation, but that if Netflix was going to pick up an anime or whatever, that the documentary should have been an easy sell.
The documentary has a predetermined audience (Shenmue fans) and even then, there’s clear evidence to suggest that not all Shenmue fans care about the concept of a documentary. Then there’s the fact that a lot of the people who do care have already got a blu-day copy of the completed documentary coming to them on completion, so are they really going to be signing up to Netflix to watch it again?
A Shenmue series on the other hand can be whatever they want it to be (in terms of the demographics they target) whilst also drawing on the game’s pre-existing fan base to boot. It’s a much easier sell.
You’re right though that if they were to produce a Shenmue series and it ended up being successful, it would then certainly make sense for them to pick up the documentary as well.
Again, I'm not trying to shit on the idea or even the series, I would personally love to see a Shenmue anime or film or live action show, but I'm struggling to see who the target market would be. Sonic will always appeal to kids and a big Hollywood produced film appeals to both the 'kidults' and their children, but who does a Shenmue film or series appeal to?
People who like video games, people who like martial arts, people with an interest in Asian culture, people who like well produced anime, people who like Shenmue. They could literally tailor the content to target any or all of these demographics providing they stick loosely to the overarching revenge plot.
I just don't know if I see it being a reasonably large budget or Netflix type thing if it does happen. I hope I'm wrong though, because if they are going to do something like that, I want it done well.
I don’t know anybody who has sold a pre-made project to Netflix, but I do know people who have successfully pitched series to them and from what I’m told, Netflix typically offer around 120% of the projects budget. Assuming they make a 6x30min season, we’re probably talking about half a million dollars if things are done on a budget - which in television is chump change (for comparison, this is how much each of the leads in GoT were paid per episode for the final season).
