The series, to be shot in Melbourne, Australia, is an NBCUniversal International Studios production.


A new thriller from prolific Australian film and TV producer Tony Ayres, writer Christian White and Harry Potter and Gravity producer David Heyman has been greenlit by Netflix, marking the third series the global streaming giant has commissioned out of Australia.


Clickbait is an eight-episode character-based thriller which explores the ways in which our most dangerous and uncontrolled impulses are fueled in the age of social media and reveals the ever-widening fractures found between virtual and real-life personas.


Ayres serves as the creator, showrunner and executive producer of Clickbait, working with co-creator/co-producer/writer White. Heyman will serve as a NWEP through his U.K. based production company, Heyday Television with Tom Winchester of Heyday executive producing. Brad Anderson (The Sinner) is the lead director.


NBC Universal’s Matchbox Pictures, currently in production on Stateless with Cate Blanchett and Andrew Upton’s Dirty Pictures, will produce the series in Ayres’ home state of Victoria.


"Christian and I have been working with David Heyman, Tom Winchester and Rosie Alison at Heyday, as well as the good folk at Matchbox and NBCU for the last few years, and we’re all thrilled that we are able to partner with Netflix on a passion project which we hope will have real global reach and impact," Ayres said.


The series will be shot in Melbourne, with support from the Australian and Victorian governments through the federal Location Incentive program and Film Victoria’s Production Incentive Attraction program.


"We’re excited to work with the entire Clickbait team to create this new series in Australia and share it with audiences around the globe," said Channing Dungey, vp original series for Netflix. "With world-class production facilities and talent, the Aussie screen industry is thriving, and we congratulate and thank the Federal Government and Victorian State Government for investing in and supporting this production."


The federal government recently extended access to its incentive programs to series commissioned by streaming services.


Said Australian communications minister Paul Fletcher, "Securing this production will bring more than $36 million of new international investment to our shores, engage around 540 cast, crew and extras, and use the services of around 290 local businesses."