Netflix eyes more Louis Theroux shows following Inside the Manosphere success
Inside the Manosphere marked Louis' first feature-length documentary for Netflix.
Netflix reportedly wants to produce more shows with Louis Theroux, following the success of Inside the Manosphere.
In less than two weeks, more than two million people watched the documentary, in which Louis, 55, explores the toxic ultra-masculine network and controversial influencers.
An insider at the streaming giant told The Sun newspaper's TVBiz column: "This is going to make very uncomfortable viewing for the BBC, as they’ve already had to watch him front his first documentary that wasn’t for the corporation.
"Now Netflix will be clamouring for more shows from him, which may even include another visit into the manosphere - after all, he won’t be short of subject matter.
"Although he’s likely to be able to pick whatever subjects he wants to explore, Louis has always had a broad spectrum of interests, from the world of celebrities to serious politics."
Inside the Manosphere marked Louis’ first feature-length documentary for Netflix, and it came a year after he made BBC’s Louis Theroux: The Settlers, which was about the increasing numbers of Israeli settlers on the West Bank in the Middle East.
Louis' 90-minute Manosphere film sees him travel to meet several prominent online figures associated with the movement, including Harrison Sullivan, known online as HS Tikky Tokky, Myron Gaines, Nicolas Kenn De Balinthazy – known as Sneako – Justin Waller and Ed Matthews.
And Louis said the rise of the online “manosphere” reflects a troubling mix of misogyny, racism and self-constructed online identities.
Speaking during a question-and-answer session ahead of the documentary’s release, Louis addressed criticism about whether the programme risks amplifying the views of those featured.
According to the Radio Times, he said he objects to the suggestion that his documentary simply platforms toxic voices.
Louis added: “You could have someone on a podcast and say, ‘Just tell me what you think for an hour’.
“Or you can put them in a documentary and work really hard to give it a sense of context, of proportion, and push back with appropriate questions, which is obviously what I think we do.”
The COVID-19 lockdowns developed Louis' interest in the "manosphere" and looking into how social media personalities are reshaping conversations around masculinity and reviving ideas associated with the men’s rights movement.
He said: "As a father of three boys, (it) was something I was aware of."
Louis - who has sons Albert, Frederick, and Walter, with his wife, Nancy Strang - added: "Like a lot of parents in lockdown, I saw my kids' social media content, and Andrew Tate was a name that came up, and I think it felt like this subject just combined a lot of things that I'm interested in.
"I've been joking that it's like the final boss of subjects in my career."
He said: "And it combines obviously homophobic, misogynistic, racist content, also kind of adult content, adjacent and cult-like mentality and media self-presentation."
Louis added: “So basically, it just seemed like the most obvious and best choice to make a film.”
