Netflix is making moves to have more environmentally friendly sets, and they're announcing their first steps towards that in a big way. During the 2023 Super Bowl, the streamer revealed it has partnered with General Motors to showcase their lineup of electric cars in future productions. They also recruited Will Ferrell to break the news, having him drive through various Netflix productions as he talks about this latest partnership.
You might be wondering how exactly that'll work with every Netflix property, and thankfully, Ferrell's got the answer for you. As he demonstrates in increasingly bizarre fashion, programs that take place in the current day or the future, such as "Army of the Dead" or "Squid Game," will feature electric GM cars. However, don't expect period pieces like "Bridgerton" or "Stranger Things" to suddenly get a modern upgrade. This partnership will also extend to the streamer's unscripted slate, which includes the addictive "Love is Blind."
Priah Ferguson steals the show in a brief cameo as her "Stranger Things" character, Erica Sinclair, especially opposite the Dustin-impersonating Ferrell. Even outside of the commercial, the actual act is commendable. Electric cars are healthier alternatives to gas-powered cars, so if a partnership like this is what they have to do to normalize these vehicles, then more power to them. It's a small thing in the grand scheme of things, sure, but small steps like these can eventually lead to greater change. Check out the entire advertisement below.
Right Commercial, But Wrong Time?
As you can see above, the commercial is actually pretty amusing, especially as it starts getting more ridiculous. The thing, however, is that it's a bit of a weird time to promote how forward-thinking you are if you're Netflix. As we've covered over the past few months, the streamer has been cracking down on password sharing among its millions of customers, recently introducing a pretty harsh penalty for doing so in a few test markets.
The streamer has also been under fire for the alleged glorification of Jeffrey Dahmer in its series "Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story," widespread allegations of harsh conditions on the set of "Squid Game: The Challenge," and other unsavory controversies. We can't deny that they are doing some good in their business practices, as seen in this GM Super Bowl ad, but we also can't ignore the ones that aren't as good in the public spotlight.
Like many things in life, Netflix is a complex and multi-faceted company with both good and bad aspects. At least this latest ad was pretty fun!
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