Watch the Trailer for “The New Yorker at 100”

The New Yorker had a century to prepare for its hundredth anniversary, and yet the final months before that milestone—this past February—were a scramble. The excitement of that countdown serves as a central point of interest in “The New Yorker at 100,” a feature documentary that Netflix will release on December 5th. The trailer, featuring appearances by the magazine’s current and former staff; its mascot, Eustace Tilley; and celebrity admirers, is now online.

As the documentary records the race to complete The New Yorker’s 100th Anniversary Issue, it also delves into the magazine’s unlikely evolution, from a locally focussed humor magazine to an internationally renowned publication that also produces films, podcasts, digital reporting, and more. Between vignettes that capture current writers, editors, cartoonists, and fact checkers at work—reporting from a Syrian prison or a Trump rally, or confirming the names of a few prison cats—the film revisits seminal moments in New Yorker history, both triumphant and less so. John Hersey’s “Hiroshima” and Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring,” it recounts, expanded the scope of journalism and changed public opinion; “In Cold Blood,” published as a four-part series, by Truman Capote, caused a sensation, but the writer’s methods also generated concern within the magazine, and ultimately inspired changes to how articles are prepared for publication.

Narrated by Julianne Moore, “The New Yorker at 100” was directed by Marshall Curry, who received an Academy Award for his short film “The Neighbors’ Window.” Judd Apatow, best known for comedies such as “Knocked Up” and “Superbad,” turned serious—at least partially—to serve as an executive producer. Stars including Sarah Jessica Parker, Ronny Chieng, Jon Hamm, Aparna Nancherla, and Nate Bargatze weigh in with personal reminiscences about their relationships with the magazine.

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