Countdown to Sean Combs: The Reckoning — Release Date, Cast, Plot, and Essential Details

Netflix has one of those instant-conversation-starter docs queued up: a four-part deep dive on Sean 'Diddy' Combs dropping right as the real-life story is still unfolding. And yes, it is executive produced by 50 Cent. Subtlety is not on the menu.

The project

'Sean Combs: The Reckoning' is directed by Emmy winner Alexandria Stapleton and backed by G-Unit Film & Television, House of Nonfiction, and Texas Crew Productions. It is built from never-before-seen footage and new interviews with people who were actually in Combs' orbit — former associates, employees, childhood friends, and artists. No dramatized reenactments, just firsthand accounts.

From the jump, the series sets out to chart Combs' rise from hungry young exec to a mogul with a business footprint measured in billions, including turning Bad Boy Entertainment into a cultural engine. But the doc is equally focused on the tougher half of the story: allegations, power dynamics, and the fallout that followed.

Release plan (and why the timing matters)

All four hour-long episodes hit Netflix on December 2, 2025. The timing is striking: the series arrives roughly two months after Combs was sentenced in October to 50 months in federal prison. He is currently housed at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, with a projected release in May 2028. In other words, this is landing while everything is still very raw.

What it covers

The narrative runs on two tracks: the career myth-making and the legal reality. In July 2025, Combs was convicted on two counts of transportation for prostitution. He was acquitted on the more serious charges of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. The series frames those outcomes within a larger look at fame, influence, and accountability inside the entertainment industry.

Stapleton has been upfront about the point of view. As she told Netflix's Tudum:

'Ultimately, this story is a mirror [reflecting us] as the public, and what we are saying when we put our celebrities on such a high pedestal. I hope [this documentary] is a wake-up call for how we idolize people, and to understand that everybody is a human being.'

Who talks (and who does not yet)

Netflix has not released a full list of interviewees, which has fueled plenty of guessing from people who have followed the Combs saga for years. What is confirmed: the show leans on voices from inside Combs' life and business — the people who saw the rise up close and were around when things got messy.

The 50 Cent factor

One angle that jumps off the page: Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson is the executive producer. Given his long, not-exactly-friendly history with Combs, that choice is going to raise eyebrows. The teaser does not sand things down, either. It lands with this line:

'You can't continue to keep hurting people and nothing ever happens. It's just a matter of time'

Whether the series keeps a cool head or leans into score-settling is the big question going in. Either way, no chance this lands quietly.

Need-to-know details

• Title: Sean Combs: The Reckoning
• Release date: December 2, 2025
• Where to watch: Netflix
• Episodes: 4, about 60 minutes each
• Director: Alexandria Stapleton (Emmy winner)
• Executive producer: Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson
• Production companies: G-Unit Film & Television, House of Nonfiction, Texas Crew Productions

So, is this on your list for day one, or are you waiting to see how the conversation shakes out once the whole thing drops at once?