Featured Image Credit: Netflix
Topics: Netflix, Parenting, US News, Film and TV
Emily Brown
The trailer for an upcoming Netflix documentary about a man with '1000 kids' has left viewers shocked and divided.
And if it's only taken the trailer to get people talking, it's safe to say the documentary will be worth a watch.
The upcoming doc tells the story of Jonathan Meijer; a sperm donor who, with his good looks and head of thick blond hair, seemed like a dream for many prospective parents.
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Meijer told people looking for a donor that he only planned to donate his sperm to a handful of families, but in case you've not already guessed, that turned out to be a lie.
In its three episodes, the Netflix doc features interviews with parents and experts who were blindsided by Meijer's actions, which led to him fathering an estimated 1000 children.
He racked up kids across the globe by donating his sperm in numerous different countries, on top of 11 sperm banks in the Netherlands and private donations.
Commenting on Meijer's actions, director Josh Allot told Tudum: “You get one life on this Earth — why has he chosen to use his charm and his intellect and his creativity in order to try to procreate on a mass scale and deceive all these people?
“Speaking to lots of different parents that have met him and people that know him well, it seems like it almost became an addiction for him.”
The trailer for the documentary, titled The Man With 1000 Kids, shows parents describing how their excitement at having a new baby was 'ripped' from them when they found out the truth about Meijer.
Interviewees share their determination to stop the apparent serial donor, but after watching the trailer viewers have been left divided over whether Meijer was really to blame.
One person argued it was the sperm banks which should have been more cautious, writing: "Shouldn’t they blame the sperm banks and not the donor? Aren’t the banks regulated? They should be the ones to stop the guy from donating?"
However, another argued Meijer could be putting children at risk with his actions.
"Just imagine if he has a very rare disease or condition, all the 1000 babies will inherit it," they wrote.
Meanwhile, a third indicated that Meijer had done nothing wrong.
"I’m very confused why they’re all upset," they wrote. "They went to a facility to get pregnant, you got pregnant, had the baby you wanted.
"Yeah it’s a ton of kids but you don’t have to take care of those kids and clearly there’s a demand for his type."
The Man With 1000 Kids is set to be released on Netflix on July 3.