Earlier this week, streaming giant Netflix announced that it would be pulling investment from the state of Georgia due to the passing of a pro-life law. The bill, signed into law by Governor Brian Kemp earlier this month, will make it illegal to get an abortion once the heartbeat has been detected.
However, despite their moral objection to the saving of unborn babies, the Netflix executives plan to set up shop in Egypt and Jordan — two countries where abortion is completely illegal.
The entertainment company is currently working on its third Arabic original, “Paranormal,” which will be produced in Egypt — which marks Netflix’s first attempt at producing content in the Middle Eastern nation.
“We are excited to continue our investment in Middle Eastern productions by adapting the highly acclaimed ‘Paranormal’ novels into a thrilling new series,” said Kelly Luegenbiehl, Netflix’s VP of international originals, according to Variety. “We’re also pleased to collaborate with prominent producer Mohamed Hefzy and director Amr Salama, whose creative vision we look forward to bringing to our global audience.”
Articles 260-264 of the Egyptian Penal Code prohibit the termination of pregnancy in almost all cases. Anyone who either induces abortion or is involved in an illegal abortion procedure can face a hefty prison sentence.
“Paranormal” is the third Netflix series to be produced in the Middle East. It was preceded by “Al Rawabi School for Girls” and “Jinn,” which were both produced in Jordan — a country that also possesses extremely stringent abortion laws.
Disney joins the anti-Georgia cohort
On Wednesday, Disney’s chief executive said Wednesday that it would be “very difficult” for them to keep filming in Georgia if the Fetal Heartbeat Bill comes into effect, as planned, on January 1 2020.
It would not be “practical for us to continue to shoot” if the bill is rolled out next year, CEO Bob Iger explained. “I think many people who work for us will not want to work there, and we will have to heed their wishes in that regard. Right now we are watching it very carefully.”
Iger had no problem commissioning a shoot in the Middle Eastern nation of Jordan, however. A section of the blockbuster hit “Aladin” was filmed there.
Jordan, along with Egypt, criminalizes abortion in almost all cases.
After Iger specified Disney’s intentions for Georgia, social media was lit up with accusations of hypocrisy.
As for Netflix, it could certainly do without a spiraling boycott of its services, which is beginning to happen as a result of its pro-abortion action.
The company is facing a deepening pit of debt, as it continues to plow funds into producing original content at a hefty loss.
According to Forbes, the company is expected to generate a “cash loss of $3.5 billion” this year. So, if it cannot drum up new customers, the company will be teetering on the edge of bankruptcy.
A lack of new subscribers will be mean it “won’t be able to meet its debt obligations,” Forbes noted, “and it will quickly throw the company into bankruptcy.”