Picture Credit: Netflix
After a week of global release, the viewership for Call My Agent! The Movie is in, and the numbers are a bit disappointing. That said, Netflix publicly disputed the reports this week in La Rochelle, offering glimmers of hope that Andréa and her friends would eventually come back to Netflix. Is it damage control, or is there any truth to the reports? As it turns out, there are a lot of moving parts and powerful players at hand, not unlike the world of Call My Agent!
The EVCs for the week of release were particularly rude on Call My Agent!, touted as one of the big success stories out of France for Netflix: its availability globally boosted the profile of the movie agent-centric series. The comeback, at least in France, was long-awaited and teased with appearances in Cannes, and a VIP premiere on September 8th, attended by Ted Sarandos himself.
Yet, according to Top 10 Data, it gathered 2 million EVCs in 4 days and was absent from the Global Top 10 of the most-watched programs (it eventually reached the 7th place). According to Frédéric Durand at Netflix & Chiffres, this makes the Émilie Noblet-directed movie the worst start for a French feature (released on a Thursday) in five years, way below Lost Bullet 2; it also lags behind other international titles released on a Thursday within the last few years. And most of the French critics were split on the movie.
On Thursday, Netflix France had a panel discussing the making of Call My Agent! in the French Festival of Fiction of La Rochelle, a cornerstone for the French series industry. VP Pauline Dauvin and head of movies Gaëlle Maschi took the opportunity to dispute the negative outlook for these numbers. As reported by Ozap, Maschi suggested that “the movie is finding its audience, and that fans are showing up.” Commenting on the ratings, she added that the French team was “very pleased that the movie hit number 1 in France, and remains there” before underlining that “ratings are not all we consider,” touting “engagement metrics.” While most of the statistics remain internal, they include quality metrics through “notes” and “thumbs up” by the subscribers, diversity in performance expectations, i.e., “we obviously will not put the same expectations on an action movie and on a comedy”; and the quantity of audience, which refers to viewership. Overall, Maschi cautioned that on their end, even though they were satisfied with that early performance, it was still “too early” to make a definite assessment.
The panel, as we mentioned, was also meant to give a case study of Call My Agent! The Movie as a cornerstone for Netflix’s French ambitions, and also featured talks with creator Fanny Herrero and director Émilie Noblet. So, is it all damage control to push back at negative media coverage and a perceived flop? As it turns out, there are a lot of existing clues and “fairies” presiding over the future of Call My Agent!
Should we roll credits on Call My Agent!?
As the movie featured a cameo from George Clooney and had obvious global appeal given the performance of the series, the outlook may be disappointing. But it is relevant to highlight a good chunk of the French line-up (just as it is for other European countries, such as Italy) is primarily made with the French subscribers in mind. Unscripted shows like Rhythm + Flow France (Nouvelle École) barely register outside the country, but the engagement metrics and their target audience are important enough to Netflix that they are likely to continue on. One of the only returning French series, Blood Coast/Pax Massilia, also signals the existence of a committed niche audience, and the guarantee for Netflix to continue its long-standing relationship with the city of Marseille, where numerous projects continue to be shot. Not to mention, veteran crime/action director Olivier Marchal, whose specific brand of hard-boiled projects resonate locally. Under that lens, Netflix may decide to bet again on Andréa Martel, Arthouse Director.
Back to Call My Agent!. Any sequel would presumably be made with the involvement of its creator Fanny Herrero, who teased during interviews with French media that she had trouble “closing the door” on the narrative—even though she cautioned to wait for the reception to the movie. But most importantly, getting the busy cast together and having it produced means it is two or three years away. Is it worth it to have Netflix have a boutique movie event with a recognizable, beloved franchise every couple years? It has not been tried before, but it is every bit likely.
Then, there are the powers-that-be; mainly, producer Mediawan, who has become a powerhouse in French production, and whose CEO Pierre-Antoine Capton made no secret that he personally facilitated the George Clooney cameo in the movie. It is a big deal for a couple reasons: in a meta way, Mediawan features prominently in the movie, with Andréa having her fake movie produced by the giant, and Noémie acting as a successful producer there. In our reality, the company is the single most important program supplier for the French industry, was involved in a dozen international remakes (including a proposed American one)… and Capton admitted that Netflix itself was their biggest client. An extension of Call My Agent! would then reaffirm the strong relationship between both companies; during the VIP Paris premiere, Capton made a short speech where he said the movie was “the start of something else.” Can anybody prove him wrong?
Finally, there is the original “godmother” of the show, public broadcaster France Télévisions. If they relinquished rights to broadcast the movie first, they coproduced it and have the rights to run it at a later date. Should the second-run prove a hit (France Télévisions is bullish on its replay ratings), it would provide a strong partner for Netflix to offset risk to invest in further movies. All these elements suggest that there is a strong will to invest in further Call My Agent! adventures.
Are you eager to see more Call My Agent!? Do you think Netflix will still pull the plug on more movies? Sound off in the comment section!