The New Yorker has long been renowned for the journalism, literary fiction, covers, and cartoons that have defined a century of cultural discourse. As the magazine celebrates its 100th anniversary, The New Yorker at 100, a new documentary directed and produced by Academy Award winner Marshall Curry (The Neighbors’ Window, Street Fight) offers an exclusive look into the world of this iconic weekly print and digital publication. “I’ve been a reader of the magazine for most of my life,” Curry said. “It’s been thrilling to get to peek behind the curtain and witness the precision, thought, and almost fanatical obsession that goes into crafting their stories, cartoons, and covers.”
The New Yorker at 100 follows the editors, writers, fact-checkers, photographers, cover artists, and others who bring The New Yorker to life, providing a rare glimpse into the inner workings of one of the great print magazines of our time. The New Yorker at 100 had its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival in August 2025 and will have its New York City premiere at The New Yorker Festival on Saturday, Oct. 25.
Read on for everything to know about the documentary ahead of its Dec. 5 release.
The documentary follows editor David Remnick and his staff at The New Yorker as they work toward one of their most important deadlines yet: the magazine’s 100th anniversary issue. The New Yorker at 100 takes viewers inside the magazine’s downtown headquarters as well as the homes and haunts of its writers who live and work in its namesake city. Narrated by Julianne Moore, the film looks at how the words and images on its pages have reported on politics and culture over the past century —work that faces headwinds as longform, fact-based journalism is increasingly mistrusted and media becomes economically strained.
“I’m fascinated by people with obsessions,” Curry said. “The New Yorker is full of people who are obsessed with what they do, whether it’s exposing a government scandal or profiling an obscure musician or policing the use of commas. I wanted to introduce audiences to these obsessives — partly because I found them interesting and funny and insightful, and partly because I think what they do is really important. It’s a tough time for fact-based journalism, and I wanted audiences to understand and celebrate the important work that’s under threat. I knew we wouldn’t be able to capture every aspect of The New Yorker in one film, but I was excited to introduce people — give them a tasting menu — to this long-standing institution and to the vital significance of journalism in general.”
Using archival materials alongside interviews with heavy-hitting contributors like Hilton Als, Roz Chast, and Ronan Farrow as well as notable fans of The New Yorker including Jesse Eisenberg, Ronny Chieng, and Molly Ringwald, the film provides a rare glimpse at the legacy and current dynamics of one of America’s preeminent publications. The New Yorker at 100 brings viewers inside the workings of the magazine’s peerless fact-checking department, lively story meetings, and delightfully idiosyncratic cartoon selection process, documenting the journalistic integrity and intrepid creative spirit that fuel this celebrated institution.
The New Yorker at 100 premieres on Netflix on Dec. 5.
Take a peek inside the halls of the storied magazine in the trailer at the top of the page.
Produced by Curry and Xan Parker, with executive producers Judd Apatow, Josh Church, Helen Estabrook, Sarah Amos, and Michael Bonfiglio, the documentary is a collaboration between Marshall Curry Productions and Apatow Productions.
Stay tuned for more updates ahead of the film’s Dec. 5 premiere.
