In what stands to be one of the biggest EFM Berlin Market sells in history, Netflix has beaten out multiple studios, in a heated biding war, and closing up a worldwide deal for Natalie Portman and Lena Dunham’s “Good Sex.” The final deal could reach a near-record $55M.
Just around two weeks ago, bidding was said to be at $45M. Netflix probably had to overspend, given they’re not too keen on theatrical, by beating out top contenders Warner Bros, Amazon, and Apple. The one thing that buyers seem to be praising about this project is the script. An anticipated 2025 shoot in New Jersey is being set up on Dunham’s film.
Portman is set to star in “Good Sex,” written and directed by Dunham (“Girls”). After the success of “Babygirl,” Dunham/Portman’s film will also tackle an age gap romance. This time around, Nicole Kidman will be taking a backseat, and it’ll be Portman’s turn to have an intense affair with a younger man.
“Good Sex” is said to involve Ally (Portman), a 40-ish couple’s therapist who “falls into a steamy fling” with a 20-something Brooklyn hipster just as she begins a promising, more conventional relationship with Alan, a successful 50-something in Manhattan.
Written on 02.15.25 —
Portman previously praised Dunham as a filmmaker, including her iconic HBO series “Girls,” but especially Dunham’s 2009 debut “Tiny Furniture”:
I remember seeing Tiny Furniture, Lena Dunham’s film, and when the credits rolled I started crying because it was written by Lena Dunham, starring Lena Dunham, produced by Lena Dunham, and directed by Lena Dunham. This young woman has no fear of [saying] “I did it, I did all of this.” And it was so good.
Dunham recently dropped out of directing a “Polly Pocket” movie. She then released a statement which included her saying, “I feel like the next movie I make needs to feel like a movie that I absolutely have to make. No one but me could make it. And I did think other people could make ‘Polly Pocket.'”
Dunham is coming off having directed two films, both released in 2022, “Sharp Stick” and “Catherine Called Birdy” — the former was panned by critics and the latter earned decent reviews.
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