Madelyn Cline, 28, finishes the fifth and final season of Netflix’s Outer Banks on Aug 20 and is already lining up two new movies – the Judd Apatow comedy The Comeback King with Glen Powell, and Johnny Depp’s drama Day Drinker.
Outer Banks finale marks a turning point
The teen‑treasure‑hunt series, which first broke out in 2020, is ending its run after five seasons. Cline, who plays Sarah Cameron, says the final episode feels like a milestone. “You kind of gain Spidey senses — you can sense when people are watching or taking pictures,” she tells The Hollywood Reporter. “But when I was in line at security, all of a sudden I just felt really self‑conscious. I felt naked.” The quote captures how fame shifted her everyday travel experiences from anonymity to constant attention.
Fans have followed her journey from masked airport lines during COVID‑19 to the sun‑soaked beaches of the Outer Banks. Over six years, she’s become one of Netflix’s most recognizable faces, a status she says she’s grown accustomed to. The series’ conclusion gives her a clean slate to explore larger‑screen roles, a move many streaming alumni have found challenging.
New film projects: comedy and drama
First up is The Comeback King, described as a Judd Apatow tentpole comedy. Cline will share screen time with Glen Powell, promising a mix of humor and chemistry that fans of Apatow’s ensemble casts will recognize. The second project, Day Drinker, is billed as a Johnny Depp comeback vehicle. Director Marc Webb has said Cline will occupy “the pivotal emotional center of the movie,” positioning her as a key narrative anchor.
Both films signal a deliberate shift from the binge‑watch format of Netflix to traditional theatrical releases. While release dates remain unannounced, the projects are slated to follow each other closely, giving Cline a busy schedule that could keep her in the public eye well beyond the Outer Banks finale.
Past roles and the Netflix leap
Cline’s film résumé already includes a cameo in Glass Onion (2022) and a lead role in I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025). Those appearances hinted at a desire to broaden her acting palette beyond the streaming world. Industry observers note that transitioning from Netflix to big‑screen projects has worked for a few peers – Jacob Elordi moved from The Kissing Booth on Netflix to HBO’s Euphoria and then to marquee films like Frankenstein, while Sadie Sink landed a role in Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale after Stranger Things.
With two high‑profile movies on the horizon, Cline appears poised to join that select group. Her next steps suggest a strategic push toward roles that offer both comedic timing and dramatic depth, a combination that could solidify her standing in the wider film landscape.
