Netflix’s The Hawk could be the reinvention Will Ferrell has needed for years
Will Ferrell is teeing off on TV with Netflix series The Hawk, playing Lonnie The Hawk Hawkins, a former No. 1 golfer chasing one last major before calling it quits. A savvy swing to streaming, this could be the comeback shot his career’s been waiting for.
Will Ferrell is heading back to TV, and honestly, it might be exactly what he needs right now. Netflix have grabbed him for a brand-new series called The Hawk, which could be the sort of comedy comeback he’s needed, considering cinema isn’t quite what it was for that style of film anymore. Let’s have a look at what’s actually happening here—because there’s more going on than just another sports comedy.
Ferrell as a Washed-Up Golf Legend (And He’s Not Playing It Subtle)
In The Hawk, Ferrell is Lonnie "The Hawk" Hawkins, once the top golfer in the world, now limping through the last rounds of his career, staring down retirement but refusing to give it up. The plot is basically: he needs one more big win to finish the Grand Slam and still thinks he’s just a single decent swing away from ‘the greatest comeback in golf history’.
Let’s Talk Cast
- Will Ferrell
- Molly Shannon
- Jimmy Tatro
- Fortune Feimster
- Luke Wilson
- Chris Parnell
- Katelyn Tarver
- David Hornsby
- Gabriel Hogan
- Aida Osman
You’ll recognise half of them from various comedy circuits—Molly Shannon and Chris Parnell alone could turn a cardboard plot into something worth watching. So, proper ensemble, in other words.
Ferrell’s Return to TV (And Why He’s Doing It)
This isn’t Ferrell’s first time as a TV lead. The last was The Shrink Next Door in 2021, but if you go back further, he earned his stripes on Saturday Night Live (1995–2002), and really, that’s what set up classics like Anchorman, Talladega Nights, and Step Brothers. Those days of launching theatrical comedies that made huge money—those are definitely over.
Since 2020’s Downhill, Ferrell’s cinema career has been mostly supporting roles or as a voice in animated features. The last few years have been heavy on streaming: Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, Spirited, You’re Cordially Invited—all direct to streaming, not cinemas.
This isn’t just Ferrell. That whole early-2000s comedy crowd (Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson, Seth Rogen, you name it) have either shifted to streaming or landed their biggest recent hits on telly, not in the cinema. Studios don’t exactly roll the dice on R-rated comedies in the cinema like they used to. Instead, Netflix or Apple will order a series, and if it lands, you’ve got yourself a proper audience and a steady gig.
Why This Move Makes Sense Right Now
Ferrell’s brand of humour isn’t selling out multiplexes any more, but TV is a much safer bet for him now. Streaming comedies led by ex-movie stars are getting traction—examples: Bad Monkey, Stick, and plenty of others have already nabbed second seasons. If The Hawk catches on, it could well mean Ferrell’s got a proper home for his style of comedy again.
'With one more major to win to complete golf's Grand Slam, Lonnie refuses to believe he's anything other than one stroke away from the greatest comeback in golf history.'
The Hawk lands on Netflix on 16 July 2026.