Netflix is removing Tom Hiddleston and Karen Gillan's "masterpiece" drama very soon

Netflix is removing The Life of Chuck, the "masterpiece" drama starring Tom Hiddleston and Karen Gillan, very soon.

Released in 2025, the fantasy film stars Hiddleston as an ordinary man named Charles "Chuck" Krantz, following his life in reverse chronological order.

Directed and written by Mike Flanagan, the drama is adapted from Stephen King's 2020 novella of the same name, and opens with Chuck's death.

Related: Best streaming services

The logline reads: "The story of an ordinary man's life unfolds across three chapters, in reverse - from the collapse of the universe, to his childhood joys and losses."

Joining Hiddlestona and Gillan in the cast are stars including Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mia Sara, Carl Lumbly, Benjamin Pajak, Jacob Tremblay and Mark Hamill, with Nick Offerman serving as narrator.

If you haven't seen it yet or fancy a re-watch, the movie is leaving Netflix at the end of the month, so subscribers have until 29 September to stream it.

The Life of Chuck was popular with critics, currently holding an impressive 80% score on Rotten Tomatoes, where reviewers praised Flanagan's adaptation.

Awards Radar called the film "an absolute miracle of a movie and a masterpiece from Mike Flanagan".

Empire Magazine wrote: "Part end-of-the-world drama, part musical, part coming-of-age ghost story, The Life 0f Chuck won’t please everyone. But, if you open yourself to its brazen sincerity, you might just shed a life-affirming tear or two."

Related: Netflix's "remarkable" new drama debuts with 100% Rotten Tomatoes rating

The Observer penned: "Clever conceits all too easily tip over into synthetic contrivance. If The Life Of Chuck... just about manages to stay on the right side of that tricky balance, it’s largely thanks to solid work from the cast."

Decent Films opined: "Lovingly adapted from Stephen King’s novella of the same name, The Life of Chuck was written and directed by Mike Flanagan, for whom the material is so well suited that King might as well have written it for him."

Mark Kermode said: "It's a musing film and an amusing film, but it's also beautifully poignant and profound."

The Life of Chuck is leaving Netflix on 29 September.

Visit our Streaming Guide now to see at a glance where you can view ALL your favourite shows and movies.

The new edition of Legends, a 100-page all-colour celebration of Ariana Grande, is here! Buy Ariana Grande in newsagents or online.

Reporter, Digital Spy

Harriet is a freelance news writer specialising in TV and movies at Digital Spy. 

A horror enthusiast, she joined Digital Spy after working on her own horror website, reviewing films and focusing largely on feminism in the genre. 

In her spare time, Harriet paints and produces mixed-media art. She graduated from the University of Kingston with a BA in fine art, where she specialised in painting. She also has an MA in journalism from Birkbeck University.