Netflix said Monday it will debut in 2016 a new feature movie by British comedian Ricky Gervais about a radio reporter who files fake news about a far-away war from the comfort of a Manhattan hideout.
"Special Correspondents," starring Australian actor Eric Bana, is the latest in a growing stable of original productions being rolled out by the online video streaming service.
"It’s the kind of great grown-up comedy that studios rarely make anymore, one that’s perfect for Netflix members around the world," said Netflix content chief Ted Sarandos.
Sarandos described the film -- written and directed by Gervais -- as "classic Ricky Gervais; smart social satire with heart," in a Netflix statement that gave no specific release date.
Showbiz trade journal Variety reported in October "Special Correspondents" would be a remake of a 2009 French comedy, "Envoyes Tres Speciaux," by director Frederic Auburtin.
It will be the first film that Gervais -- best known for the original British version of the hit television sitcom "The Office" -- has directed since his 2010 comedy "Cemetery Junction."
Netflix's ever-expanding roster of original output stretches from the political drama "House of Cards" to children's shows and documentaries to be co-produced with Hollywood A-lister Leonardo DiCaprio.
Source: AFP