What Archewell Productions does

Archewell Productions is a privately held film, television, documentary, and podcast production company founded in 2020 by Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The company develops and produces original content across scripted TV, feature film, non-scripted documentary, and podcasting formats, operating under a multi-year first-look partnership with Netflix that serves as its exclusive distribution channel to a global subscriber base. Active and announced projects include the war film 'No Way Out,' a scripted polo drama series set in Wellington, Florida, the documentary 'Cookie Queens' (premiered at Sundance Film Festival in January 2026), and the adaptation of Carley Fortune's novel 'Meet Me At The Lake.'

The business model is content licensing and royalty-based: Archewell pitches, develops, and produces projects that Netflix acquires under the first-look arrangement, with the company carrying production risk in exchange for negotiated production fees and backend participation. Distribution is concentrated exclusively through the Netflix platform across global markets, with marketing largely relying on Netflix-driven promotion and the earned media generated by the founders' public profile. No consumer-facing pricing applies. There is no public ownership, no parent company, no institutional investors, and no disclosed funding rounds; the company is entirely founder-owned and operates as the production arm of the broader Archewell organization, which also encompasses Archewell Philanthropies.

The company's product surface is differentiated more by the founders' brand equity, personal access to high-profile subjects, and Prince Harry's military background than by underlying technology. Core technology is not disclosed, no AI/ML capabilities are referenced, and headcount is unreported. Operational scale signals come from the slate of announced projects and the multi-year extension of the Netflix relationship rather than from quantitative disclosures.

Name

Archewell Productions

Legal name

Archewell Productions

Website

https://archewellproductions.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Archewell Productions is a private production company founded in 2020 by Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, that develops scripted TV, feature films, documentaries, and podcasts exclusively under a multi-year first-look deal with Netflix for global distribution.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Television and Film Production

NAICS

Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries (512), Motion Picture and Video Industries (5121)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Docuseries & Episodic Nonfiction (TV/Streaming) (MPADADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Unscripted/Reality TV Production (Live-Action) (MPADABAC), Audio Production & Podcasting (BPAFAIAE)

Keywords

• Film production services
• Television content production
• Documentary production
• Podcast production
• Streaming content licensing

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Content Production Deals: Archewell Productions generates revenue through production deals with Netflix, creating scripted and non-scripted TV, film, and documentary content under their first-look partnership agreement.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Archewell Productions is a film, television, and digital content production company that develops and produces original scripted series, feature films, documentaries, and podcasts. All content is created under a multi-year first-look deal with Netflix, the company's exclusive distribution partner, and is targeted at streaming audiences globally.

Product overview

Archewell Productions is a media production company founded in 2020 by Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The company operates as a single unified production offering spanning multiple content formats: scripted TV and film productions, non-scripted and documentary productions, and podcasting. All content is developed under their multi-year partnership with Netflix, including first-look deals, and is distributed through streaming platforms. The portfolio includes war films like 'No Way Out,' scripted series such as the polo drama, documentaries like 'Cookie Queens,' and book adaptations including 'Meet Me At The Lake.'

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Scripted TV and Film Productions Original scripted television series and feature films developed and produced for streaming platforms and theatrical release, including war dramas and book adaptations. Produced under the company's first-look deal with Netflix and distributed globally through the Netflix platform.
• Non-Scripted and Documentary Productions Documentary and non-fiction content exploring diverse narratives and community-focused stories, including the premiered documentary 'Cookie Queens.' Produced and executive produced by the company's co-founders and distributed via Netflix under the first-look partnership.
• Podcasting Audio content production through podcasting as part of the company's commitment to diverse narrative formats. Distributed under the Archewell Productions umbrella alongside visual content.
• No Way Out (War Film) Feature film based on Major Adam Jowett's memoir recounting the 2006 Battle of Musa Qala in Helmand province, Afghanistan. Produced for Netflix with Prince Harry's military service providing personal connection to the source material.
• Polo Drama Series Scripted drama series set in Wellington, Florida, exploring rival polo families. The first scripted series after extending the multi-year Netflix partnership.
• Cookie Queens (Documentary) Documentary following four Girl Scouts aged 5 to 12 during their annual cookie-selling season. Executive produced by Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.
• Meet Me At The Lake (Book Adaptation) Netflix adaptation of Canadian author Carley Fortune's novel. Part of the ongoing first-look partnership with Netflix, with a director attached and script in revision.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• NetflixcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Netflix has a first-look deal with Archewell Productions, the production company founded by Prince Harry and Meghan. Under this multi-year partnership, Archewell produces scripted and non-scripted content exclusively for Netflix distribution. The partnership has produced multiple projects including documentaries like 'Cookie Queens' and films such as 'No Way Out'.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Higher Ground Productions: Higher Ground Productions, founded by Barack and Michelle Obama, has a multi-year Netflix first-look deal and produces scripted, unscripted, and documentary content. It is the closest direct peer to Archewell in terms of founder profile, distribution model, and content mix.
• Happy Madison Productions: Happy Madison Productions, founded by Adam Sandler, has a long-term multi-picture deal with Netflix producing film content. It is comparable to Archewell as a celebrity-founded production company with an exclusive, multi-year output arrangement with Netflix.
• Bad Robot Productions: Bad Robot Productions, founded by J.J. Abrams, produces film, television, and documentary content with major streaming and broadcast partners. Comparable to Archewell in producing premium multi-format content and operating a long-running exclusive deal with a streaming platform.
• Hello Sunshine: Hello Sunshine, founded by Reese Witherspoon, produces scripted and unscripted content focused on women-centered stories and was acquired by Candle Media for a reported ~$900M. Comparable to Archewell as a celebrity-founded, premium content production company with streaming-era output.
• A24: A24 is an independent entertainment company producing and distributing film, television, and documentary content with a strong brand identity. Comparable to Archewell in producing prestige docuseries, scripted series, and feature films for streaming and theatrical partners.
• Plan B Entertainment: Plan B Entertainment, co-founded by Brad Pitt, produces prestige film and television with an emphasis on socially conscious storytelling. It is comparable to Archewell in its focus on premium, mission-driven scripted and documentary content for major distribution partners.

Broad incumbents

• Amblin Partners: Amblin Partners, founded by Steven Spielberg, is a major film and television production company with broad multi-format output. It is comparable to Archewell as a founder-led, prestige production entity that licenses content to major platforms and studios.
• Harpo Productions: Harpo Productions, founded by Oprah Winfrey, is a long-established celebrity-led production company spanning scripted, unscripted, and talk-format content. It is comparable to Archewell as a founder-driven media brand with multi-format output and a long-running relationship with major distributors.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Archewell Productions