Latest news with #Archewell
Sky News AU
13 hours ago
- Business
- Sky News AU
Meghan Markle eyeing new ‘gold mine' but Sussexes could still be forced to cut staff at Archewell production company
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's new 'first look' deal with Netflix could end up netting the Sussexes more money than their original contract, an insider has claimed. The Sussexes signed a five-year, $100 million content partnership with the streaming giant through their Archewell company in the heady days of 2020. The deal produced the massively successful docu-series Harry and Meghan, where the Sussexes dished royal secrets, but subsequent projects have come and gone with little fanfare. Infamously, Harry's Drive To Survive-style series on Polo attracted less than 500,000 viewers around the world. Only Markle's cooking series With Love, Meghan, is set to return to the streamer for a 'second season'. It is understood the Sussexes will transition on to a 'first look' deal at Netflix within months, which gives the streamer first dibs on optioning any new Sussex projects. According to royal insider Alison Boshoff, the deal could end up being highly lucrative if Netflix opts to purchase several programs or expand the With, Love Meghan universe. 'There are options on the table for other lifestyle shows from the Duchess, tied to hosting gatherings at Thanksgiving or Christmas,' she wrote in the Daily Mail on Thursday. 'The idea is to announce those in September when the second series (already shot) of With Love, Meghan drops.' While standalone specials could be a 'goldmine' for Meghan, Ms Boshoff claimed that the Sussexes may struggle to cover the payroll at Archewell without the Netflix deal. 'It's bad news for their own large team at Archewell Productions, which has been funded up to now by the Netflix exclusive deal,' she wrote. 'Insiders suggest that running the team and the office costs around $3 million USD a year.' Meanwhile a source close to the couple expressed concerns that without the guiding hand of Netflix the Sussexes are 'horrible' at managing their business affairs. 'They are horrible at making decisions,' the source told the same outlet. 'They ask everyone, then don't take their advice.'
Telegraph
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Harry and Meghan's Netflix film ‘risks being scrapped'
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's £2.2 million ($3 million) film adaptation of a romance novel is on the verge of being scrapped, according to reports. Little progress has been made on the Netflix adaptation of Meet Me at the Lake, Carley Fortune's hit romance novel, since the Sussexes secured the rights to produce the film in 2023. However two years later, the project does not have a director and is nowhere close to choosing the cast, the New York Post reported. It comes after the Duchess of Sussex apparently abandoned her Confessions of Female Founder podcast after just 11 episodes. Her previous podcast with Spotify, Archetypes, was not renewed after its first season. The reports come ahead of the end of the £74 million deal between Netflix and the pair, which expires in September this year. The New York Post claimed that more TV projects were forthcoming between Harry and Meghan's company, Archewell, and Netflix. But a Netflix source cited by the Daily Mail said that the company was counting down the days for the deal to expire because Meghan's last TV show, With Love, Meghan, was a ratings disaster. The first season of the show ranked 383rd on the streaming service, with 5.3 million views since its debut in March, a figure Hollywood trade bible Variety called 'very low'. The second season, which has already been filmed, is set to air later this year. The source said: 'This deal is dead. She (Meghan) had everything going for her - name, platform, press - and the numbers were dismal. 'They're just waiting for the credits to roll. They're letting it expire without drama. There's no appetite for anything new'. When the adaptation of Meet Me At The Lake was announced, Ms Fortune gushed about it on social media, writing she was 'so thrilled' to be working with the Sussexes and Netflix. Ms Fortune said she couldn't imagine a 'more perfect partnership' to bring the characters in the book to screen. At the time, commentators drew parallels between the book's plot and Harry and Meghan's love story as they both feature a whirlwind romance, and one of the protagonists lost a parent in a car crash. But now, after a two-year delay, a Hollywood insider quoted by the New York Post said: 'By this point, you would have thought they would have got a director on board and a cast. So, what is the delay? 'And when you make something for Netflix, it takes a long time for it to actually hit the streamer - there is so much to do in post production, to make sure it's ready for every country. If the deal is up this year, then when is this film going to be made?' Another potential Archewell project, a documentary about Africa, may not come to fruition either. The insider said: 'What's the betting that neither of these projects will see the light of day?' Harry and Meghan's biggest success with Netflix remains their documentary Harry & Meghan, in which the couple told the story of their romance and departure from the Royal Family. The show debuted in December 2022 and amassed 81.5 million viewing hours, making it the highest documentary premiere in Netflix's history. The insider said: 'Let's be honest... Netflix got what they really wanted out of the Sussexes - their documentary'. The Telegraph has contacted representatives for the Sussexes, Ms Fortune and Lemonada Media, which hosts the Duchess' podcast, for comment.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle face ANOTHER blow as their $100million Netflix megadeal comes to an end
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are facing another setback in the world of entertainment - after it was reported this week that their $100million Netflix megadeal is coming to an end. Now, their adaptation of romantic novel Meet Me At The Lake is understood to be hanging in the balance and 'may never happen', according to sources in PageSix. The Sussexes announced in August 2023 that they would be producing the film for the streaming giant - but two years later and Archewell productions is reportedly yet to hire a director or pick a cast. A source in Hollywood told the outlet: 'By this point, you would have thought they would have got a director on board and a cast. So what is the delay?' 'And when you make something for Netflix, it takes a long time for it to actually hit the streamer - there is so much to do in post production, to make sure it's ready for every country. If the deal is up this year, then when is this film going to be made?' Earlier this week, it was claimed that Meghan and Harry's hopes of a new Netflix deal are 'dead' after their two most recent shows - With Love, Meghan and Polo - flopped. However, the Sussexes could be in line to sign a 'first-look' deal with the streamer like the Obamas when their exclusive deal ends later this year, PageSix reported. 'There are more TV projects coming soon with both the duke and duchess,' a source added. MailOnline has reached out to representatives for Netflix and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for comment. Carley Fortune's Meet Me At The Lake, which the Sussexes acquired for a reported £3million, echoes their personal story and includes a character whose parent dies in a car crash. New York Times bestselling author Fortune's second novel is a romance about two long-lost lovers, Will and Fern, whose paths cross by chance a decade after first meeting and sparks fly between the pair. Sources previously described the book as 'right up their alley' because they 'love love stories and rom-coms'. Experts previously said it could be a 'huge hit' for the platform, like Purple Hearts, one of Netflix's most successful films ever. The book has just the right formula to bring in millions for Netflix, film expert and founder of Movie Metropolis Adam Brannon told MailOnline at the time. 'There is potential for Meet Me at the Lake to be one of Netflix's most popular films, joining the likes of Red Notice, The Adam Project, Purple Hearts and Extraction. 'Romance films, especially those based on novels generally perform very well on the streaming service, becoming sleeper hits in which they silently rack up millions of viewing hours over longer periods of time when compared to all-out blockbusters'. The Duchess of Sussex has 'had everything going for her' but the viewing figures for With Love, Meghan have still been 'dismal', an insider at the streamer reportedly said. Meghan's lifestyle show failed to break into Netflix's top 300 programmes for the first half of 2025 and was even thrashed by multiple seasons of Suits. Harry's passion project documentary Polo ranked at a disastrous 3,436 out of 7,000 shows and was only watched by 500,000 people in six months. A second season of With Love, Meghan, was announced by the Duchess herself as the first season came out in March this year as part of the couple's $100million deal with the streaming giant, which expires this year. But a Netflix source claimed: 'This deal is dead. 'She had everything going for her—name, platform, press—and the numbers were dismal. 'They're just waiting for the credits to roll. They're letting it expire without drama. There's no appetite for anything new.' Former executive editor of the American edition of Ok! magazine, Rob Shuter, has claimed that the streaming giant will not offer them a new contract once it concludes. 'The interest just isn't there anymore. They went from buzzy to background noise', a Netflix source told Mr Shuter. Some experts have even claimed that Netflix will want 'to keep a vague hand in' with them in case Meghan and Harry ever split up, so they can get in first with a docu-series on a divorce. There are rumours that they could leave the door open for one-off projects with the Sussexes, although apart from their fly-on-the-wall documentary, Harry & Meghan, most of their shows have been considered flops. As Ever, which showed Meghan cooking, gardening and hosting friends, was outperformed by hundreds of shows in the first six months of this year. Millions more people watched repeats of Suits, which made Meghan Markle a star before she met Prince Harry. Its 5.3million viewers put it roughly on a par with the second series of BBC hit Peaky Blinders, a 2007 series of Gossip Girl, kids show Grizzly and the Lemmings and a true crime show called Worst Ex Ever. Another 'nail in the coffin' for the Netflix deal was that Meghan's Napa Valley wine 'isn't selling' and 'there is no great demand', an insider at the streaming giant claimed yesterday. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have also fallen out of favour with A-listers, especially the former Suits star, MailOnline's source said. 'No one in Hollywood rates them anymore or wants to be around them, especially her', the insider said, adding: 'People are bored with them'. Netflix has been working with Meghan to launch and promote her products, some of which have been made by their preferred suppliers, including her jam. MailOnline's insider at the streaming giant has said that Meghan's rosé, which promises to 'capture the essence of sun-drenched outdoor moments', has not been a huge success and this was another 'nail in the coffin' for the $100million broadcast deal. 'The wine isn't selling', they said, adding: 'There's no great demand whatsoever'. Commenting on As Ever's claims the wine sold out in an hour, the source added: 'It's small batch' - meaning it was only ever produced in a small quantity. Netflix believes the launch has shown that 'there isn't a demand for her wine from a mass market point of view' and this means a bigger and more lucrative supermarket or department store deal is 'unlikely', the source claimed. Customers had to purchase a minimum of three bottles for $90 or six bottles for $159, and 12 bottles for $300. This mean there was a minimum spend of $119, as buyers were also charged $20 for shipping, plus taxes. 2025 has been billed as the year the Sussexes would relaunch. As well as Meghan's new TV show and lifestyle business, the couple have been out and about at concerts including multiple Beyonce shows. There was also a flurry of activity on Meghan's Instagram account, including a number of personal family video such as twerking when about to give birth. 'Meghan hasn't posted on her own socials for nearly a month', MailOnline Netflix insider said. 'The issue is that there's no consistency and people are bored with them. Many stars go silent and in the background are building their brand and equity but it feels like Harry and Meghan are losing their way even more. 'The Netflix deal not being renewed will have a big impact on them as they are running out of options of who will work with them and reap in the future. 'As Ever has a good fan base and a strong database of subscribers to its newsletter but consistency is key and it's not delivering on this so people will quickly be bored and the novelty is wearing off now for most'. 'There's no animosity from either side', one source told The Sun. 'Things have just run their course. 'Netflix execs are well aware Meghan's priority now is her own brand, and they won't play second fiddle to that'. She also posted a video of her and Prince Harry dancing in a hospital room ahead of Lilibet's birth as part of a flurry of Instagram activity Meghan's As Ever brand was originally known as American Riviera Orchard, after the area in which they live. Five months after Megxit in February 2020, the Sussexes bought their house in Montecito for $14.65million (£10,890,000). In their tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey the following year, which took place while Meghan was pregnant with daughter Lilibet, Prince Harry reflected on their money-making activities to date. He said their deals with Netflix and Spotify had both been driven by financial necessity. The prince said he was cut off by his family in the first quarter of 2020, shortly after he and Meghan announced they would step back as senior members of the royals. He added that he still had the money left to him by his late mother, Princess Diana. 'Without that, we wouldn't have been able to do this,' he said, referring to the family's move to California.
Scottish Sun
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
I know why this is the beginning of the end for Meghan & Harry – it's the worst time for him since the dog bowl fiasco
Netflix pulled the plug on the couple's lucrative deal - which explains the whiff of desperation around some of their recent activity, says Caroline Bullock THAT'S A WRAP I know why this is the beginning of the end for Meghan & Harry – it's the worst time for him since the dog bowl fiasco Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) AND that, folks, is a wrap. Amid dwindling viewing figures, the plug has been pulled on Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's £100million Netflix deal - and as their clout and currency drip away, one alarming question remains. 6 A second series of With Love, Meghan has been filmed and will be released, but no further projects with the streamer have been planned Credit: BackGrid Where do they go from here? You see for the Duke of Sussex, in particular, this might just be the biggest blow since he claims his brother Prince William knocked him to the floor onto a dog bowl during a 2019 confrontation over his marriage to Meghan, as recounted in his autobiography, Spare. Desperate to prove himself and justify the couple's 2020 departure from 'the firm', the much-hyped Netflix partnership commercially anchored their new life providing profits as well as purpose. BIGGEST BLOW Of course, an 18-bed Montecito mansion luxe lifestyle doesn't come cheap. But as well as the big bucks, the streaming giant was an opportunity for the Sussexes to establish themselves as major media players. The deal through their media production company, Archewell, promised content which 'informs but also gives hope' through a 'truthful and relatable lens' - but in the end only delivered the big switch-off. FAMILY MUD-SLINGING Trouble is - family mud-slinging and royal revelations aside - it seems the pair ran out of interesting things to say…. even when sat in the executive producer's chair. No, the viewing public wasn't gripped by the documentary, Polo, with its glimpse into the privileged and glamorous 'Sport of Kings' and a favourite pastime of the 40-year-old prince. In fact, only 500,000 people have watched the series in six months – which also featured a cameo appearance from the Sussexes hob-knobbing with the fellow glossy posse, including Meghan's mega mate Serena Williams. And it seems the Duchess's jam-making no longer hits the sweet spot. According to Netflix's latest data, the 43-year-old's lifestyle series, With Love, Meghan, failed to break into its top 300 programmes for the first half of 2025. Harry & Meghan peace talks motive EXPOSED - they'll beg for handouts now Netflix deal's scrapped 6 Harry and Meghan only made a cameo in their Netflix documentary Polo Credit: Netflix 6 Meghan's Netflix show With Love, Meghan didn't make the top 300 programmes for the first six months of the year Credit: PA OK, so Meghan's reincarnation as the millennial Martha Stewart undoubtedly created a buzz initially. Many were ready to lap up the former Suits star's aspirational and artful fruit platters and floral place arrangements and a slice of the luxe homemaker 'authentic' life – albeit one filmed at a rented Santa Barbara property rather than her own estate. But inevitably a show heavy on style over substance was always destined to fizzle out – with proceedings wilting faster than the Duchess's much-used edible flower sprinkles. FIZZLED OUT Perhaps it all explains the whiff of desperation around some of the couple's recent activity - including a greater sharing of family images, despite reportedly wanting to keep their children out of the spotlight. We've seen more of son Archie and daughter Lilibet's faces on Instagram – including in a recent Father's Day tribute picture and on Lilibet's birthday last month. And what about that most unroyal candid throwback video of Meghan twerking in a hospital room to induce labour before her daughter was born back in 2021? 6 Meghan and Harry kicked off their time as non-working royals with a bang, with their Netflix tell-all series Credit: NETFLIX 6 Meghan shared a video of her and Harry dancing in hospital before giving birth to Lili Credit: Instagram The late Queen would not have been amused. Not to mention Meghan's much maligned mood board posted on Instagram – that pictorial celebration of the couple's 'love story' including baby scans and romantic clinches all smacked of a thirst for attention that was on the wane. Meanwhile, signs of a more meaningful Plan B are emerging. Meredith Maines, the Duke's chief communications officer, and Liam Maguire, who runs Harry and Meghan's UK public relations team were pictured meeting with King Charles' communication secretary at the Royal Over-Seas League near Clarence House in recent weeks. Could this signal the start of renewed dialogue between father and son and some sort of return – however occasional or part time - for the exiled Prince? It's long overdue. Meghan will be staying put, firmly ensconced in California with an eye on the next project. But make no mistake, the LA sun is setting on Harry's American dream. No one can put a spin or gloss on waning public interest and a high-profile flop project. How Meghan and Harry are investing their Netflix millions HARRY and Meghan have begun investing their Netflix millions in a property portfolio. They have bought a new home in Portugal, around the corner from Harry's cousin Princess Eugenie and her husband. But the Sussexes, who have been spending an increasing amount of time apart, do not plan to live in their new pad, The Sun understands. It is not known if the property will be rented out, used for Airbnb-style holiday lets or used purely to park money. But it is seen as the first step of putting earnings from their TV and book deals into a global property empire. 'They're being smart with their money,' a source said. They pocketed £75million from streaming giant Netflix where they laid into fellow royals in a six-part series. Meanwhile Harry, who got a £15million advance for his autobiography Spare, also inherited £8million from the late Queen Mother after turning 40 in September. Palace insiders have been concerned about what will happen when the Sussexes run out of cash. They have huge overheads, forking out a fortune on security in the US and for when Harry visits the UK. And they are still paying a mortgage on the £11million Montecito mansion they bought after quitting as working royals in 2020. Insiders say the Portugal home will be part of a financial portfolio which will include more real estate. The Duke has lost face and will feel the effects acutely. This is the time for getting back to basics and being true to himself, which means a shift away from celebrity and tacky commercial work to charity work and projects with more substance. The couple's increasingly separate appearances of late indicate their working future lies in individual roles that play to their different strengths and interests. It's the end of a joint brand that assumed an adoring public would only simper and sympathise with their 'plight' against the a British monarchy. 6 Prince Harry walking through a minefield in Dirico, Angola Credit: AP Prince Harry's official visit to Angola last week – retracing his mother Princess Diana's 1997 landmine walk may have attracted some criticism for copying, but it is in fact a reminder of where his focus should be and true value lies. It's easy to forget amid the recent petulance, faults and feud that this is a man who connects well with the public, who can induce good will and - when channelled the right way - deploys soft royal power perhaps better than anyone without the stuffiness, very much like his late mother. It's why his Californian exile remains a waste of his time and talents. The Netflix flop may be a fresh low point in the Sussex story but perhaps it can signal a turning point for change and a more constructive new chapter.
The Sun
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I know why this is the beginning of the end for Meghan & Harry – it's the worst time for him since the dog bowl fiasco
AND that, folks, is a wrap. Amid dwindling viewing figures, the plug has been pulled on Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's £100million Netflix deal - and as their clout and currency drip away, one alarming question remains. 6 Where do they go from here? You see for the Duke of Sussex, in particular, this might just be the biggest blow since he claims his brother Prince William knocked him to the floor onto a dog bowl during a 2019 confrontation over his marriage to Meghan, as recounted in his autobiography, Spare. Desperate to prove himself and justify the couple's 2020 departure from 'the firm', the much-hyped Netflix partnership commercially anchored their new life providing profits as well as purpose. BIGGEST BLOW Of course, an 18-bed Montecito mansion luxe lifestyle doesn't come cheap. But as well as the big bucks, the streaming giant was an opportunity for the Sussexes to establish themselves as major media players. The deal through their media production company, Archewell, promised content which 'informs but also gives hope' through a 'truthful and relatable lens' - but in the end only delivered the big switch-off. FAMILY MUD-SLINGING Trouble is - family mud-slinging and royal revelations aside - it seems the pair ran out of interesting things to say…. even when sat in the executive producer's chair. No, the viewing public wasn't gripped by the documentary, Polo, with its glimpse into the privileged and glamorous 'Sport of Kings' and a favourite pastime of the 40-year-old prince. In fact, only 500,000 people have watched the series in six months – which also featured a cameo appearance from the Sussexes hob-knobbing with the fellow glossy posse, including Meghan's mega mate Serena Williams. And it seems the Duchess's jam-making no longer hits the sweet spot. According to Netflix's latest data, the 43-year-old's lifestyle series, With Love, Meghan, failed to break into its top 300 programmes for the first half of 2025. Harry & Meghan peace talks motive EXPOSED - they'll beg for handouts now Netflix deal's scrapped 6 6 OK, so Meghan's reincarnation as the millennial Martha Stewart undoubtedly created a buzz initially. Many were ready to lap up the former Suits star's aspirational and artful fruit platters and floral place arrangements and a slice of the luxe homemaker 'authentic' life – albeit one filmed at a rented Santa Barbara property rather than her own estate. But inevitably a show heavy on style over substance was always destined to fizzle out – with proceedings wilting faster than the Duchess's much-used edible flower sprinkles. FIZZLED OUT Perhaps it all explains the whiff of desperation around some of the couple's recent activity - including a greater sharing of family images, despite reportedly wanting to keep their children out of the spotlight. We've seen more of son Archie and daughter Lilibet's faces on Instagram – including in a recent Father's Day tribute picture and on Lilibet's birthday last month. And what about that most unroyal candid throwback video of Meghan twerking in a hospital room to induce labour before her daughter was born back in 2021? 6 6 The late Queen would not have been amused. Not to mention Meghan's much maligned mood board posted on Instagram – that pictorial celebration of the couple's 'love story' including baby scans and romantic clinches all smacked of a thirst for attention that was on the wane. Meanwhile, signs of a more meaningful Plan B are emerging. Meredith Maines, the Duke's chief communications officer, and Liam Maguire, who runs Harry and Meghan's UK public relations team were pictured meeting with King Charles' communication secretary at the Royal Over-Seas League near Clarence House in recent weeks. Could this signal the start of renewed dialogue between father and son and some sort of return – however occasional or part time - for the exiled Prince? It's long overdue. Meghan will be staying put, firmly ensconced in California with an eye on the next project. But make no mistake, the LA sun is setting on Harry's American dream. No one can put a spin or gloss on waning public interest and a high-profile flop project. How Meghan and Harry are investing their Netflix millions HARRY and Meghan have begun investing their Netflix millions in a property portfolio. They have bought a new home in Portugal, around the corner from Harry's cousin Princess Eugenie and her husband. But the Sussexes, who have been spending an increasing amount of time apart, do not plan to live in their new pad, The Sun understands. It is not known if the property will be rented out, used for Airbnb-style holiday lets or used purely to park money. But it is seen as the first step of putting earnings from their TV and book deals into a global property empire. 'They're being smart with their money,' a source said. They pocketed £75million from streaming giant Netflix where they laid into fellow royals in a six-part series. Meanwhile Harry, who got a £15million advance for his autobiography Spare, also inherited £8million from the late Queen Mother after turning 40 in September. Palace insiders have been concerned about what will happen when the Sussexes run out of cash. They have huge overheads, forking out a fortune on security in the US and for when Harry visits the UK. And they are still paying a mortgage on the £11million Montecito mansion they bought after quitting as working royals in 2020. Insiders say the Portugal home will be part of a financial portfolio which will include more real estate. The Duke has lost face and will feel the effects acutely. This is the time for getting back to basics and being true to himself, which means a shift away from celebrity and tacky commercial work to charity work and projects with more substance. The couple's increasingly separate appearances of late indicate their working future lies in individual roles that play to their different strengths and interests. It's the end of a joint brand that assumed an adoring public would only simper and sympathise with their 'plight' against the a British monarchy. 6 Prince Harry's official visit to Angola last week – retracing his mother Princess Diana's 1997 landmine walk may have attracted some criticism for copying, but it is in fact a reminder of where his focus should be and true value lies. It's easy to forget amid the recent petulance, faults and feud that this is a man who connects well with the public, who can induce good will and - when channelled the right way - deploys soft royal power perhaps better than anyone without the stuffiness, very much like his late mother. It's why his Californian exile remains a waste of his time and talents. The Netflix flop may be a fresh low point in the Sussex story but perhaps it can signal a turning point for change and a more constructive new chapter.
