Rumours that Sean 'Diddy' Combs is preparing a $1 billion (approx. £750 million) lawsuit against Netflix have ignited intense debate across the entertainment world, with insiders claiming the music mogul is considering a major defamation action over the docuseries Sean Combs: The Reckoning.
The docuseries, executive-produced by Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson and directed by Alexandria Stapleton, is so far regarded as one of the most-discussed Netflix releases this year.
While multiple outlets have reported that Combs' legal team is reviewing its options, no lawsuit has been filed, leaving the situation fluid and speculation running high.
What the Rumour Says
Reports by outlets such as Hot97 state that, according to insiders, Combs and his family are contemplating a broad-shot defamation lawsuit seeking one billion dollars in damages if Netflix does not respond or retract various claims found in the series. The purported counterattack in the suit would focus on the documentary's allegations that it damaged Combs's reputation and abused footage that his staff believes belongs to them.
One of the sources cited in these reports stated: 'Netflix's so-called "documentary" is a blatant attempt to harm Combs' reputation. The GMA teaser highlights that Netflix relied on appropriated footage. This footage was never authorised for public disclosure. Since he was just 19, Combs has been gathering material to narrate his own story. It is not only fundamentally unjust but also illegal for Netflix to exploit that content.'
It is worth noting that, as of today, no lawsuit of this scale has been officially filed in court; these facts are based on industry insiders and cannot be relied upon until these claims are corroborated by official court documents or statements from Combs representatives.
Combs' Objections to Documentary
Combs' lawyers have already taken some legal action. Before the release of the docuseries, his attorneys had written a cease-and-desist letter to Netflix, alleging that the project included stolen footage that had never been licensed for air and criticising the series as a 'shameful hit piece.'
The letter asserted that Combs had been filming his personal life over the years to create his own documentary and that Netflix had unwarrantedly used the footage, thereby committing an unjust and even illegal act.
That conflict focuses partly on previously unseen footage featured in the Netflix trailer and series, which portrays Combs in the days leading up to his 2024 arrest.
What Netflix and 50 Cent Say
Netflix and the filmmakers of The Reckoning have counteracted the allegations. The Netflix team said the project was not connected to any previous discussions with Combs and that the footage was obtained lawfully. In response to CNN's request for comment, a Netflix spokesperson pointed to a statement from the docuseries' director, Alexandra Stapleton, who said the filmmaking team obtained the footage legally.
'It came to us. We obtained the footage legally and have the necessary rights,' Stapleton said. 'We moved heaven and earth to keep the filmmaker's identity confidential. One thing about Sean Combs is that he's always filming himself, and it's been an obsession throughout the decades. We also reached out to Sean Combs' legal team for an interview and comment multiple times, but did not hear back.'
The streaming company also claimed that Curtis' '50 Cent' Jackson lacked unilateral creative control over the series, and that no one was paid to appear in the documentary, implying that efforts were made to maintain the documentary's integrity.
The contradictory versions highlight how tricky the legal aspect of the case and the fight over the control of the narrative in the eyes of the audience, not to mention the fact that the case under analysis was that of a high-profile case, considering both the subject matter, Combs, and the executive producer of the documentary, Jackson.
What Comes Next
As of this writing, no formal lawsuit has been filed, and Netflix and Diddy's representatives have not made detailed public statements confirming or describing the planned legal action. The case is still in flux, and legal experts will be watching for court filings or new pronouncements on either side.
It is also as the controversy develops that points to the mounting strain between high-profile documentary filmmaking, on the one hand, and the legal boundaries of storytelling in the streaming age, on the other.
The coming weeks may reveal whether this remains industry rumour or escalates into one of the most consequential entertainment lawsuits of the streaming era.
