The new three-part Blackberry series – which is an extended version of the movie that came out earlier this year – is now available to stream in Canada on CBC Gem.
Directed by Matt Johnson and starring Jay Baruchel as Mike Lazaridis and Glenn Howerton as Jim Balsillie, the film depicts the rise of the company and the device that changed the way we communicate forever.
Upon its release, the Blackberry movie got rave reviews and currently has a 98% critic score and a 94% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Full details about the extended Blackberry series
Blackberry tells the story of tech wizard Mike Lazaridis (Baruchel) and cunning businessman Jim Balsillie (Howerton). Seemingly overnight, the duo revolutionized the way people work, communicate and connect, with millions of people around the world addicted to their BlackBerrys and the company completely dominating the market. That is, until some shady business dealings, personal grievances, and, perhaps most dangerously, the iPhone, devastated the company’s incredible success.
The series also stars Johnson, as Mike’s friend and business partner Doug Fregin, Cary Elwes (Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Saw), Saul Rubinek (Hunters, True Romance), Rich Sommer (The Devil Wears Prada, Mad Men), Martin Donovan (Tenet, Big Little Lies), and Michael Ironside (Total Recall, Scanners).
Adapted by Johnson and Matthew Miller from bestselling book Losing the Signal: The Untold Story Behind the Extraordinary Rise and Spectacular Fall of BlackBerry by Jacquie McNish and Sean Silcoff, Blackberry originated at CBC, where Losing the Signal was optioned and developed over the course of four years as a three-part series and feature film.
The film received its world premiere at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival and was released theatrically in Canada on May 12; it will air on CBC Gem and CBC TV in 2024.
How to watch the extended Blackberry series in Canada
To watch the extended Blackberry series in Canada you need a CBC Gem account. CBC Gem is a free, ad-supported streaming service in Canada. If you prefer to go ad-free they offer CBC Gem Premium for $4.99 per month (after a one-month trial). CBC Gem Premium also gives you exclusive access to CBC News Network.
The CBC Gem app is available for Apple TV, Roku, FireTV and many other streaming devices. For more information and to sign-up for CBC Gem, visit gem.cbc.ca.
Check out our list of the best free movie streaming services in Canada if you want more free TV and movie options.
Photo credit: A scene from Blackberry. Courtesy CBC.