This new Netflix documentary explores what happened when an internet meme went too far – and people actually showed up at Area 51

Netflix’s new documentary Storm Area 51 is released on July 29
It follows what happened when a viral joke went too far and people showed up at the Nevada airbase
This is the latest installment in Netflix’s Trainwreck documentary series

I’ve been so invested in Trainwreck recently. From the unhinged story of Balloon Boy to the upsetting Astroworld tragedy, this series has taken us on a wild ride.

It’s about to get even wilder, too, as we explore one of the biggest viral incidents of the past decade. Storm Area 51 is all about a meme that spiraled out of control, resulting in people responding to an online joke invite and then actually showing up at the base.

The base, of course, is highly classified, so the whole affair was very much a trainwreck as the series’ name suggests. Take a look at the Netflix trailer below to see what to expect.

Why I’m excited for Storm Area 51

A sign that reads — (Image credit: Netflix)

What isn’t there to love about this story? It’s as whacky as they come, and I’m excited to get sucked into another incident that shocked the world.

When millions of people responded to the Facebook event invite called “Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All of Us”, the event’s creator, Matty Roberts, had just assumed it would be a meme and nothing more.

Joke events happen all the time, whether it’s attending a Prime Minister’s “leaving drinks” or other topical references, we’ve all seen our fair share of events on social media that are quite clearly not meant to be taken seriously.

Unfortunately, Roberts didn’t expect people would actually show up at the base, but around 150 people did. Thankfully, it wasn’t the millions that responded to the event, but it was enough for it to become newsworthy.

Outside of this, people arranged two music festivals called Alienstock and Storm Area 51 Basecamp, building attractions and encouraging people to attend. The entire situation lasted around 96 hours, and there were seven arrests made.

As someone who spends a lot of time online, I’m keen to understand how the situation spiraled so rapidly, and hopefully get some more insight into how things went down from the people who were there.

Trainwreck has been a great documentary series so far, and I do recommend checking out the other titles on Netflix.

This new Netflix documentary explores what happened when an internet meme went too far – and people actually showed up at Area 51