Netflix is facing criticism from users after announcing the return of Titanic on the platform days after the OceanGate tragedy.
Some subscribers find the timing of the film’s reinstatement “insensitive” due to recent events involving the Titan submersible incident, which claimed the lives of five during an expedition to the wreckage of the Titanic.
The film that solidified Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet’s stardom is all set to arrive on the streaming platform in the US and Canada. The 1997 classic directed by James Cameron is set to be available for streaming on Netflix starting July 1st. It has been a part of the Prime Video library for a while now.
Some took to Twitter to express their dissatisfaction, describing the timing as “wrong” and “distasteful.” But many more are roasting Netflix for apparently monetising on a tragedy.
However, the decision to add the movie to Netflix was likely made well in advance. The announcement of its return was made a few weeks ago as part of the platform’s July film list for the US and Canada.
Cameron, who is also an experienced deep-sea explorer, also commented on the submersible tragedy. He drew parallels between the recent incident and the historical Titanic disaster, emphasising the similarities and expressing his astonishment at the tragic events occurring at the same site.
“I’m struck by the similarity of the Titanic disaster itself, where the captain was repeatedly warned about ice ahead of his ship, and yet, he steamed up full speed into an ice field on a moonless night, and many people died as a result.
“And for a very similar tragedy, where warnings went unheeded, to take place at the same exact site, with all the diving that’s going on all around the world, I think it’s just astonishing, it’s really quite surreal,” Cameron commented.
Netflix recently unveiled the first trailer for a diving documentary, The Deepest Breath, which explores the remarkable story of Alessia Zecchini, a world record holder in freediving. It was announced shortly after news of Titan going missing broke. People also took to social media to question the timing of this announcement.
Despite the backlash, Netflix’s decision to bring back Titanic remains unchanged, and the film is set to sail back onto the streaming platform next month.
