Netflix has released the official trailer for Big Chicken: A Fast Food Conspiracy, a provocative new documentary following comedian Mo Gilligan as he investigates the enormous industry built around one of the world’s most popular fast foods.
Gilligan openly describes himself as a devoted fried chicken fan, but his relationship with the food is about to be seriously tested. As part of a bold experiment, he eats fried chicken three times a day for 28 consecutive days while examining what this extreme diet does to his body.
His investigation takes him from South London to the United States, where he explores the historical origins of fried chicken and the social, economic and industrial forces that transformed it into a global fast-food phenomenon.
The trailer suggests that the documentary will look far beyond calories and portion sizes. Gilligan examines large-scale poultry farming, the environmental impact of mass production and the methods used by major fast-food companies to keep customers craving their products.
The film also explores the complicated cultural history surrounding fried chicken. As a Black British comedian, Gilligan confronts the racist stereotypes historically associated with the dish, while considering how its cultural identity has been appropriated and repackaged by the modern food industry.
What begins as an entertaining endurance challenge gradually develops into a much broader investigation of the systems behind everyday eating habits. The discoveries Gilligan makes force him to reconsider not only his favourite takeaway, but also how much consumers genuinely know about the food placed in front of them.
Produced by the award-winning company Mindhouse, Big Chicken: A Fast Food Conspiracy marks Gilligan’s first documentary for Netflix. Combining humour, personal experimentation and investigative storytelling, the film asks whether our appetite for cheap and convenient food carries costs that are deliberately kept out of sight.
Big Chicken: A Fast Food Conspiracy premieres globally on Netflix on August 5, 2026.
Watch the official trailer below.
