Most know by now that Netflix has a tendency to cancel shows -- some of which manage to hook audiences during their runs. Following the end of the SAG-AFTRA strike this month, five shows from the streaming series were axed. The folks behind those productions should consider themselves lucky, though, because there are some series that enter production but ultimately don't see the light of day. On that note, the public now has a bizarre insight into one series on the mega streamer that had millions of dollars poured into it but was never completed.
Filmmaker Carl Erik Rinsch is known for directing action movie 47 Ronin. His sole movie ended up being the biggest box office bomb of 2013 and received negative reviews. As it so happens though, Rinsch was more recently looking to enter the TV sphere. According to The NY Times, he was set to have a series that would be part of the Netflix TV schedule, but it never reached streaming due to a wild sequence of events. He and his wife, Gabriela Rosés Bentancor, were working on a passion project of theirs called Conquest.
The sci-fi series would've followed a genius who invents a human-like species called the Organic Intelligent -- made to provide humanitarian aid around the world. But in a twist of events you see in unnerving movies about the terrors of AI, humans discover the true nature of O.I.s, leading to a considerable amount of drama. The filmmaker initially financed the project with his own money. However, after securing an investment from production company 30West, they threatened to take possession of the project after he missed a deadline from them. The star of his lone film, Keanu Reeves, saved the show by investing in it and becoming a co-producer.
When pitching Conquest to streaming services, the creative team used six four to 10-minute episodes of a theoretical 13-episode, 120-minute first season. Ultimately, it was Netflix that snagged the project at the last minute. The powers that be over there apparently believed it had the potential to become one of the best Netflix shows alongside the likes of Stranger Things or Ozark. With the company consenting to pay $61.2 million for the rights to the series, Carl Rinsch had to agree that he'd get the final cut and that he and his wife would be “locked in” for all seasons and spinoffs. Once you get past the more dramatic aspects of this, the process sounds relatively normal, but things ultimately didn't go as planned.
When it came time to film the remaining episodes, trouble ensued. Carl Rinsch was accused of “mistreating the team” when filming in São Paulo, allegedly cursing at them and showing “excessive irritation.” While in Budapest, Rinsch supposedly spent days without sleep and showed violent erratic behavior towards his wife, believing she was planning to assassinate him. The two eventually divorced. The strange behavior was theorized to be the result of Linsch taking the amphetamine Vyvanse for his A.D.D., as the medication can lead to mania, delirium and even psychosis if used excessively.
The situation reportedly got worse when the COVID pandemic hit in 2020, and the series creator asked Netflix for more money and claimed the whole production would collapse without it. On top of the $44.3 million the streamer already spent, it gave him another $11 million. So with that, $55 million was being shelled out to produce the would-be Netflix new release. While the EP was already juggling two versions of the script, he allegedly ended up gambling the money he received on the stock market and cryptocurrencies as well as going on a spending spree, buying several models of Ferrari, Rolls-Royces and other extravagant items. Ultimately, the entertainment conglomerate pulled the plug and on the production, with the funds Carl Rinsch used never recovered.
Now, there’s currently a battle between Carl Rinsch and the streamer. Rinsch said in a deposition that the luxurious items he spent using the company's money were props for the show and that the corporation owed him more than $14 million for breach of contract. The streamer has its own stance on the issue, filing a motion in July that Rinsch never hit the production milestones he was supposed to for the show. A ruling is expected to arrive soon.
It’s a real shame that Conquest never saw the light of day, as it could've been an intriguing watch. After learning about all of the drama that came about due to this axed series though, I think a retelling of these bizarre events should occur in the form of a movie, miniseries, or documentary could be even more interesting. (Of course, I'm not sure if the streamer itself would want to dramatize its business like that.)
Time will tell how the situation plays out. But in the meantime, you can use a Netflix subscription to check out movies and TV shows that are actually available on the streaming service.
