Netflix's New 'Adults-Only' Marilyn Monroe Film Is Already Facing Backlash

The upcoming Marilyn Monroe movie Blonde set to release later this year on Netflix has been attracting some backlash.

Starring Ana de Armas, Blonde is being touted as an 'adults only' movie as it's the first Netflix film to carry an NC-17 rating in the US, meaning it's been deemed unsuitable for anyone younger than 17.

That probably means it'll get an 18 rating in the UK, with the movie carrying warnings over explicit sexual content.

The high age rating hasn't come as a surprise to director Andrew Dominik, who said he expected to get a high age rating for his 'demanding' movie.

Dominik has argued that he's not making a movie that's going to 'run for public office' and 'if the audience doesn't like it, that's the f***ing audience's problem'.

REMINDER ‼️
blonde is heavily based on a FICTIONAL book about marilyn monroe that will go to feed the public more lies about her. this is NOT a biopic

also, the nc-17 rating is just bc that man wants to, not bc it’s needed. it’s a way to sexualize her even more. https://t.co/ox21S2ObuC

— ivy | virgo's groove (@M0ONYVES) July 28, 2022

The movie hasn't even released yet and it's already getting backlash from some potential audiences who aren't happy with what they've seen in the trailer.

Based on the novel of the same name by Joyce Carol Oates, Blonde is a fictional account of the iconic movie star's life and the movie is going to be a work of fiction rather than a fully accurate biopic.

Some people are worried that audiences are going to get the wrong impression from the movie if they go into it mistakenly thinking it's a factual account of Marilyn Monroe's life rather than a fictional reimagining of her life.

One person argued that by being based on a fictional book, Blonde would 'feed the public more lies' about Monroe, while another said it could be a problem to 'let Hollywood tell us how awful Hollywood treated this woman'.

Others are concerned that Blonde could be an exploitative fictional take on a real woman's life in which 'Marilyn Monroe has no say' how the story about her is told and what untrue events she could be depicted in.

ana de armas as marilyn monroe in blonde.. this is insanity pic.twitter.com/m3s9hEIw8n

— norma jeane (@versaceschanel) July 27, 2022

The people making the movie have been quite clear that it's a fictional version, with de Armas describing Blonde as a 'not literal' biopic and saying the film was 'more like an experience' where audiences are meant to 'feel what it was like to be her'.

There are still plenty who are eagerly looking forward to the film, with one saying it 'looks to be the very best Marilyn depiction I've ever seen', while another said 'it looks like it's gonna be EPIC and Ana de Armas was a great choice'.

More said what they say in the trailer 'really captures the beauty of the darkest moments of Marilyn Monroe’s life offscreen'.

Another wrote: "She deserves to be portrayed with sincerity and humanity and this definitely looks promising."

Blonde will drop on Netflix on 28 September.