Robert De Niro-Led ‘Zero Day’ Gets Formal Series Greenlight At Netflix

Netflix has given a formal limited series order to Zero Day, a conspiracy thriller from Eric Newman (The Watcher, Narcos), Noah Oppenheim (Jackie, The Thing About Pam) and Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and author Michael S. Schmidt, with Robert De Niro attached to star and executive produce in his first series regular television role. Additionally, Leslie Linka Glatter (Homeland, Mad Men, Love & Death) will direct all episodes and executive produce. The project had been in development at Netflix since November 2022.

Created and executive produced by Newman under his Grand Electric Productions deal with Netflix, Oppenheim, and Schmidt, Zero Day asks the question on everyone’s mind — how do we find truth in a world in crisis, one seemingly being torn apart by forces outside our control? And in an era rife with conspiracy theory and subterfuge, how much of those forces are products of our own doing, perhaps even of our own imagining? 

The six-episode series is written and executive produced by Newman via his Netflix overall deal, and Oppenheim, with a story by Newman. Oppenheim, Schmidt and Jonathan Glickman of Panoramic Media will also executive produce along with De Niro.

Nominated for seven Academy Awards, De Niro won two — best actor for Raging Bull and best supporting actor for The Godfather Part II. He also has received several Emmy nominations, including a nom fo best actor for his role as Bernie Madoff in HBO’s Wizard of Lies. De Niro recently wrapped Tony Goldwyn’s upcoming feature Inappropriate Behavior, alongside Bobby Cannavale, Rose Byrne, Vera Farmiga, Rainn Wilson and Whoopi Goldberg.