Full Breakdown
Netflix Post Sparks Backlash Over Charlie Kirk Anniversary
By Drooid · · How we work
Background & Context
- Charlie Kirk, co-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot in the neck and killed on September 10, 2025 at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. The suspected shooter, Tyler Robinson, surrendered the following day and later pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder.
Core Event
- The scene shows Eddie Horniman (Theo James) turning his head at his wedding to see Susie (Kaya Scodelario) leave. The timing coincided with the one-year anniversary of Kirk’s death, prompting accusations that the post mocked the assassination.
Official Statements & Responses
- The company called suggestions of a link to real-world events “inaccurate and ludicrous.”
Criticism & Opposition
- Conservative commentators and activists, including Rudy Giuliani and the account Libs of TikTok, called for a boycott of Netflix, labeling the caption “vile” and “shocking level of evil.”
- Additional right-leaning public figures echoed the sentiment, arguing that the timing demonstrated insensitivity toward a high-profile political assassination.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Despite the uptick in violence and the increased threats that everybody at Turning Point USA has been experiencing after his assassination, I think we're more emboldened than ever to continue to stay on the ground because Charlie's entire thing was about having conversations with people to reach out to the other side,” — Savanah Hernandez, TPUSA reporter
- “On today’s show, we discussed Pete Davidson’s joke about Charlie’s death while roasting Tony Hinchcliffe,” — Blake Neff
- “This is either a shameless mockery of Charlie Kirk or the most stupid and tone deaf post imaginable. DELETE and apologize for your malice or incompetence, @NetflixUK.” — Jackie Chea
- “This culture we’re living in absorbs disagreements as a form of personal betrayal [and] it turns having an opposing viewpoint into a moral crime worthy of punishment,” — Charlie Kirk, point USA founder
- “He could tell you exactly what the Old and New Testament was, how it contributes to the very lives we live today. Not many people can do that. That takes a lot of effort,” — Comedian Bryan Callen
Why It Matters
- The incident shows how social-media content from entertainment brands can become flashpoints in partisan cultural battles, prompting calls for consumer action and heightened scrutiny of corporate communication strategies.
- Netflix’s denial and the ensuing boycott threats highlight the tension between artistic promotion and perceived political commentary in a highly polarized media environment.
What’s Next
- No further public statements from Netflix have been announced as of this writing. The controversy may influence how the streamer schedules future promotional posts around sensitive anniversaries.
