Director Bobby Boermans witnessed a chilling coincidence in February 2022 when a real hostage situation unfolded at the Apple store in Amsterdam’s Leidseplein square — just after he finished filming The Golden Hour, a Netflix series about a fictional terror attack in the same city. That actual crisis has now inspired Boermans’ latest thriller iHostage, which has claimed the #1 spot on Netflix in the United States.
The film dramatizes the tense standoff that occurred when an armed man in camouflage took a 44-year-old Bulgarian hostage inside the Apple store and demanded €200 million in cryptocurrency — equivalent to more than $226 million at the time. The incident trapped additional people on the building’s upper floors and immediately escalated when shots were fired as police arrived.
“We changed the dialogue and gave all characters fictional names so they couldn’t be traced back to the individuals involved,” Boermans told TIME. “In reality, hundreds of people were involved in the stand-off, but we focused on five main characters — each from a different background, each offering a unique perspective.”
iHostage alternates between the perspectives of the gunman, the hostage, and first responders as the situation intensifies. The confined setting amplifies the claustrophobic atmosphere while exploring themes of fear, desperation, and survival instinct under extreme pressure.
The thriller provides viewers with a dramatized window into the ripple effects of real-life terror, depicting the psychological impact of being caught in an unthinkable situation.
According to tracking site Flixpatrol, the film has become a global sensation, reaching the #1 position worldwide and securing top spots in 72 countries.
Boermans has expressed hope that beyond entertainment value, the thriller will spark meaningful conversations around mental health — particularly regarding marginalized communities that might feel overlooked, unsupported, or pushed to extremes.
