Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are preparing to bring to the small screen the bestselling book “No Way Out: The Searing True Story of Men Under Siege,” which recounts one of the British military’s most dramatic missions in Afghanistan. The book was written by British Major Adam Jowett and describes his experience as the commander of a unit of paratroopers and Royal Irish Rangers soldiers during the fighting in July 2006, in Helmand province.
According to Netflix, the film will be produced by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex through Archewell Productions, along with head of content Tracy Ryerson. The script is written by Matt Charman, who was nominated for an Oscar for Bridge of Spies. The project is considered very personal for Harry, who served twice in Afghanistan as part of the British Army, reaching the rank of captain. According to the book's description, the "Easy Company" unit was sent to control the center of the Musa Qala neighborhood "at all costs." The soldiers remained surrounded by the Taliban in a makeshift compound, while facing constant attacks for 21 days and nights.
The author describes the extreme pressure and grueling battles that the soldiers experienced, while ammunition was running out and the situation seemed hopeless. Since 2020, Harry and Meghan have collaborated with Netflix, where the most successful project remains the documentary Harry & Meghan, which became the most watched documentary premiere in the history of the platform.
However, several of the couple's other projects have failed to achieve the same success. Among them was the series With Love, Meghan, focused on Meghan's California lifestyle, which was criticized as "unrealistic" and "unoriginal" before it was canceled this year. The couple's deal with Netflix, reportedly worth up to $100 million, also included a collaboration on the "As Ever" brand, with products such as jam, rosé wine and edible decorations.
Following the series' cancellation, Meghan took full control of her brand, while reportedly maintaining a good relationship with Netflix executives, including Ted Sarandos. In August last year, the couple signed a new "first-look" deal with the platform, with Meghan calling the collaboration "proof of the strength of their relationship."
In parallel, Harry and Meghan are also working on a television adaptation of the romantic novel The Wedding Date by author Jasmine Guillory. Since leaving the British royal family and moving to the US, the Sussex couple have carried out several documentary projects, including Heart of Invictus, Polo and Live to Lead. Meanwhile, their collaboration with Spotify ended in 2023, after just one season of the Archetypes podcast.
