Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s remaining Netflix projects appear to be stuck in limbo — leaving their first look deal with the streamer up in the air, sources tell Page Six.
Back in August 2023, the Sussexes announced their media company, Archwell Productions, would produce a movie based on Carley Fortune’s hit book “Meet Me at the Lake.” Netflix paid around $3 million for the rights to the novel.
But nearly three years later, we’re told the project is still classed as in development but hasn’t got very far — lacking both a director and a cast, leaving Hollywood insiders baffled.
“Three years in development for a movie like this at Netflix isn’t good,” a well-placed Hollywood source told us.
First look deals work by studios paying a retainer to producers in order to get first refusal on any projects they come up with; those producers then get paid more when they sell a project. It’s not known how long the Sussex’s first look deal lasts for.
In September, the Sussexes — who last week made a humanitarian trip to Jordan just days before the war against Iran started — also announced they were making an adaptation of Jasmine Guillory’s romantic novel, “The Wedding Date.”
However, this, too, is still classed as in development at Netflix.
The Sussexes offered Netflix their new documentary “Cookie Queen,” which recently debuted at the Sundance Film Festival. However, the film about Girl Scout cookies has not yet been bought by a distributor or streamer, even though it won plaudits at Sundance.
Harry, 41, and Markle, 44, had initially negotiated an exclusive multi-million dollar contract with Netflix shortly after leaving the royal family, in Sept. 2020.
Their tell-all documentary, “Harry & Meghan,” was a massive hit for the streamer. Other projects, however, including their “Polo” documentary didn’t hit the mark, or were short-lived.
As Page Six exclusively revealed, Markle’s lifestyle show, “With Love, Meghan,” has not been recommissioned by Netflix for a third season amid falling ratings.
“I don’t know how long this new deal is for, but if they don’t have anything to show soon, I can’t imagine it will be renewed,” said an industry source.
We have reached out to Netflix and Sussex reps.
Rather than TV, Markle is believed to be concentrating on her tie-in lifestyle range, “As Ever,” made in tandem with Netflix. Although there had been chatter she could make a series of specials for holidays, including Valentine’s Day and July 4, so far, nothing has been given the green light.
Sources close to Archewell told us several scripted and unscripted titles are in various phases of development with the streamer and are moving through the normal creative process. We’re also told Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos gets on very well with the couple.
They said that both “Meet Me at the Lake” and “The Wedding Date” remain in development, insisting that Archewell continues to have a positive and collaborative relationship with Netflix, a sentiment echoed by insiders at Netflix.
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