transcript
show notes
What does it take to write one of the biggest movies in Netflix history — from scratch?
This week, we sit down with screenwriter T.J. Fixman, the man behind Carry-On — the Christmas action thriller that broke Netflix records, racked up over 172 million views, and sparked a genuine cultural debate: is this the new Die Hard?
Before he was writing Taron Egerton and Jason Bateman into one of the most-watched original films on the planet, Fixman was crafting narratives for video games — most notably the beloved Ratchet & Clank franchise. So how does a game writer crack Hollywood's most coveted genre: the contained, high-concept, race-against-the-clock thriller?
We also talk about the Die Hard question, building a villain you never quite see, writing Christmas into the DNA of an action film without making it a gimmick — and what's coming next with his new project The Seventh Man.
If you've ever stared at a blank page wondering how a single high-concept idea becomes a global phenomenon, this one's for you.
Useful Links:
Most Popular Movies on Netflix - Carry-On at #3
Seventh Man sells to United Artists - Variety