It's been revealed the documentary on the disappearance of Tom Phillips will screen on Netflix.

He and his children were missing for four years when the saga ended with a shootout in September - killing the fugitive. 

Dame Julie Christie is creating a documentary on the case with the help of the police, and has been granted exclusive access.  

NZME editor-at-large Shayne Currie says the final product could just be a piece of police PR. 

"There are these clauses within there that do allow police (A) to have viewing and vetting rights and (B) by the sounds of it, to have the ultimate call on whether it even screens certain contact."

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