Ed Sheeran has teamed up with Philip Barantini, the acclaimed director behind the single-take Netflix drama Adolescence, for a new Netflix special titled One Shot With Ed Sheeran.
The special, set to premiere on 21 November, follows Ed Sheeran as he moves through the streets of New York City in real time, performing impromptu songs on subway cars, sidewalks, and street corners, while chatting and connecting with fans along the way. Barantini, who directed every episode of Adolescence in a continuous one-take style, brings his signature cinematic technique to capture these unscripted, spontaneous performances.
According to Netflix, One Shot With Ed Sheeran will feature “impromptu performances on bustling sidewalks and subway cars, to intimate interactions with fans and passersby,” blending live music, conversation, and city life into a seamless visual journey.
In an Instagram Story announcing the project, Ed Sheeran said: “This is the most proud I’ve been of something in my entire career. I’m so excited for you to see it — it really is amazing. Thanks to the incredible team who put this together.”
View this post on Instagram
Philip Barantini’s work on Adolescence earned praise for its intensity and realism, with each episode filmed in one continuous take, demanding perfect coordination between actors, camera operators, and sound crews. Bringing that same precision and adrenaline to Sheeran’s world of live performance promises something truly unique — a film that feels alive, unpredictable, and deeply human.
For Sheeran, One Shot marks an evolution from polished concert specials to something more immersive and cinematic. There will be no elaborate stage lighting, no audience choreography — just a man, his guitar, and the rhythm of a city that never stops moving. It’s a rare glimpse into how music exists beyond arenas, in the flow of ordinary life.
For Barantini, it’s a chance to merge music, movement, and realism — to turn a one-take camera into a lens for storytelling through sound. His partnership with Sheeran hints at a visual experience that’s both artistic and spontaneous, where every look, lyric, and crowd reaction is captured as it happens.
As Netflix continues investing in experimental music formats, One Shot With Ed Sheeran could set a new standard for how live performance and film converge. Fans can expect something far removed from the usual glossed concert movie — a raw, unfiltered portrait of one of the world’s biggest artists meeting the city, and its people, in real time.
With its mix of cinematic daring, musical intimacy, and emotional honesty, One Shot With Ed Sheeran looks set to be one of the most talked-about releases of the year — and perhaps, the closest viewers will ever come to walking alongside Ed Sheeran in song.
