Is 'Puppy Murder' a Real Show on Netflix? The Rumor Started After the 'Cuties' Scandal
Following the controversy of the Netflix release of 'Cuties,' a satirical newspaper reported that 'Puppy Murder' would be Netflix's next film.
Sep. 21 2020, Updated 4:22 p.m. ET
Considering the wide breadth of docuseries that have been featured on Netflix, there are few topics that would surprise viewers. From the small felines featured in Don't F*** with Cats to the big cats shown in Tiger King, the streaming giant has pushed boundaries with animal-centric content.
After the subscription service was embroiled in controversy following the release of Cuties in September of 2020, another potential scandal began brewing as well.
When a rumor began circulating that the next compelling Netflix original documentary would be called Puppy Murder — and that it would focus on killing dogs — many internet users were disturbed.
Is there actually a film called Puppy Murder coming out on Netflix? Keep reading to find out if there is any truth to the K-9 centric documentary.
Is 'Puppy Murder' a real Netflix film?
For those who were concerned that Netflix was authorizing a film about murdering puppies, the rumor originated from a satirical website. It will not be debuting on the small screen, and it does not exist.
On Sept. 14, The Babylon Bee, which has been compared to the Christian version of The Onion, published a satire article about the upcoming release of Puppy Murder. The piece was likely inspired by the backlash surrounding the debut of Cuties.
When the French film was released on Netflix on Sept. 9, some critics worried that it glorified the sexualization of children, and that it provided content for pedophiles. Cuties is about a group of pre-teen girls who enter a twerking competition. Some combatted the criticism of the film by saying that the plot was taken out of context.
After Cuties came out, many called for Netflix to be "canceled," and it was soon a trending topic on Twitter.
The Babylon Bee seemingly poked fun at the Cuties controversy with Puppy Murder. The article included a brief synopsis about what Puppy Murder would be about.
"The movie is just two hours of puppies being brutally murdered on screen, sending a powerful message to the viewer about just how bad puppy murder is," the article stated. "From getting shot and stabbed to being run over with a steamroller and the inspiring climactic scene where a puppy is dropped into a volcano, the movie unequivocally and powerfully shows the brutal reality of puppy murder."
The piece included a quote from a fake director, Amélie Le'Charpentier, which also appears to be another instance when the outlet was critiquing Cuties. The film was made in France, and it was directed by a French woman named Maïmouna Doucouré. Maïmouna defended making the movie in a piece published by The Washington Post.
Along with the article, The Babylon Bee also released an image of the film and its description that utilized the same style that Netflix has on the site. The image began circulating online, independent of the accompanying article, which had many people thinking that it was a real movie.
The article concluded with a joke about how Puppy Murder would be followed by Baby Murder.
The 'Puppy Murder' rumor reignited the #CancelNetflix debate.
Though Puppy Murder is not a real film, and it was never actually affiliated with Netflix, it didn't stop people from tweeting about it in relation to canceling the streaming service. Both #CancelNetflix and #BoycottNetflix were used in relation to the Puppy Murder discussion on Twitter.
The streaming service has not commented on the fake film at this time.
Puppy Murder is NOT available to stream on Netflix, nor will it be.
