Ridley Scott’s ‘The Man in the High Castle’ Is Finally Coming to Netflix

Seven years after it finished its run on Prime Video, Ridley Scott’s The Man in the High Castle is finally making its way to Netflix for the first time ever next month. Created by Frank Spotnitz and based on Philip K. Dick’s 1962 novel of the same name, Scott had a hand in bringing the project to life through his Scott Free Productions banner, which saw him serve as an executive producer on the series.

Premiering on Prime Video on Jan. 15, 2015, The Man in the High Castle lasted for four seasons before it was officially given the axe by Amazon due to rising production costs. As such, the finale felt rushed and left fans with more than a few unanswered questions, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth your time. Netflix subscribers can look for this amazing series to hit the streaming platform on March 11.

‘The Man in the High Castle’ Differs From the Novel in Many Ways

Starring the likes of Alexa Davalos, Rupert Evans, Luke Kleintank, DJ Qualls, Joel de la Fuente, Rufus Sewell, and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, The Man in the High Castle is set in an alternate universe that depicts a reality where the Axis powers of Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan rule the world after their victory in World War II. As such, the United States is split into three distinct regions: The Greater Nazi Reich in the east, The Japanese Pacific States in the west, and The Neutral Zone in the middle.

However, after the discovery of some film reels that feature a world in which the Allies won the war, hope is given to characters like Juliana Crain (Davalos), who believe they’re the key to freedom, and do everything they can to discover their origins. Opposing her are men like John Smith (Sewell), the Reichsmarschall of North America, and Takeshi Kido (Fuente), the Chief Inspector of the Kempeitai.

All that being said, The Man in the High Castle is a show that deviates significantly from the source material, while at the same time keeping many of its core themes. Dick’s novel features a book titled The Grasshopper Lies Heavy rather than film reels, John Smith was created specifically for the series, and the I Ching plays a much bigger role in the source material than in the show, especially when it comes to the ending. Still, even with those massive changes, The Man in the High Castle is an intriguing series in its own right.

‘The Man in the High Castle’ Is More Relevant Today Than Ever Before

Dealing with themes of extremism, misinformation, free will, and many others, The Man in the High Castle is perhaps more relevant today than it was a decade ago. We’re witnessing right now how extreme political rhetoric that used to exist on the fringes of society can become the norm, how history is being rewritten or completely erased from museums and monuments, and how one of the greatest threats to our freedom isn’t just a smooth-talking leader, but a complicit public who believes his lies and remains apathetic in the face of injustices. All of those elements are represented in the show, making it eerily prophetic.

To be honest, The Man in the High Castle is pretty much a mirror of the world today despite it being set in the 1960s. That alone makes it unsettling to watch, yet a show you can’t look away from. Sure, it might be slow at some points, but that doesn’t discount the fact that it remains a chilling reminder of what can happen when good people become corrupt, and the rest of us just sit back and allow it to happen.