iHostage: Shocking true story behind the Netflix thriller, explored

The freshly released thriller on Netflix, iHostage, is actually derived from a quite unsettling and shocking true story.

Released on 18th April, 2025, the film follows the plot of a terrifying hostage situation at a swanky Apple Store in Amsterdam. The film proceeds to uncover the events that take place in the tragic incident.

However, the real-life incident from which the film is derived occurred back in the year 2022, at an Apple Store in Leidseplein, Amsterdam. An armed man had entered the store and had captured a man for five hours.

Let us find out more details about the true story behind the film iHostage.

iHostage: Shocking true story behind the Netflix thriller, explored

The new Netflix film iHostage is derived from a true incident. It all happened three years ago, at Leidseplein, Amsterdam, when a man carrying a weapon broke into an Apple Store.

On February 22, 2022, a man aged 27, donning a camouflage outfit, barged into the Apple Store in this bustling region of Amsterdam, carrying a pistol and a machine gun. He proceeded to hold a middle-aged Bulgarian man hostage, and demanded a sum of €200 million, that is $22,78,90,000, in the form of crypto assets.

The incident is recorded to have taken place close to 5:30 pm. For about five hours, the assailant had held the man hostage. The whole building was shut down due to this incident, as it took place on the ground floor, where the store was situated.

Whilst the man was kept hostage, the other buyers in the store strived to take cover and save themselves. Soon, within 10 minutes, the police arrived.

Some firing took place upon the arrival of the police, and four gunshots were fired. It took a team of elite troops, a medical unit, and employees of the nearby stores to secure the place and the safety of the people. Thanks to their effort, around 70 people were successfully moved out of the premises.

The motive of the gunman behind causing the mayhem has not been found, as the gunman died upon the police chasing him. It so happened that after an extensive series of intense mediations, the assailant requested some water at around 10:30 pm.

A robot was tasked with bringing him the water. The gunman ran away as soon as he reached the entrance of the store in order to fetch the water. But soon, the police caught him.

The assailant was pounded by the officials' car, and soon, he passed out. He was still breathing when he was admitted to the hospital. However, the next day, he succumbed to his wounds and passed away.

When the assailant lost consciousness and was down on the ground, the footage was documented in videos and was put on social media, which ultimately became viral.

The man's identity was later uncovered, as his name was revealed to be Abdel Rahman Akkad, as per Het Parool, a Dutch newspaper. The man was already accused of a list of crimes in his past, which included a case of harassment, as he harassed his former partner.

Akkad was slapped with a restraining order due to this. He had owned arms as well. He also received bail for a month and was ordered to partake in social welfare for a total of 60 hours.

"It's up to the viewer to decide who they root for", says director of iHostage

The way Akkad was brought down by the police is something that has ignited a series of discussions around the Netherlands. It was something that was not common in the country.

Director of iHostage, Bobby Boermans, while speaking to TIME, reminisced about the public reaction to this event, where he called the act of using a vehicle to bring down the perpetrator a 'highly decisive act of violence'. He stated:

“The hostage incident sparked intense public debate in the Netherlands, mainly because of the unconventional way the police brought the situation to an end—by using a car. It was a unique and highly decisive act of violence, the result of a split-second decision made by one of the special forces operators”

Boermans also added how the audience's reaction to this incident was divided, as some people were supportive of how the police took care of the situation, whereas the rest of them felt discomfort with how it unfolded.

Moving towards Boerman's directorial and what iHostage actually stands for, the director shared his thoughts and vision behind the film. The film has been made with the intent of bringing the focus on mental health crisis, in relation to economic inequality and the flawed public health organisations. Boermans elucidated on this in the following way:

“My hope is that this film will spark an important dialogue about the increasing number of individuals with mental health issues living on the streets. Many well-meaning, everyday citizens are falling through the cracks, often due to financial difficulties or mental health challenges, and are being overlooked by our public health services."

The director added:

"These are individuals who might have received assistance before tragically resorting to such terrible actions. It’s heartbreaking, and I hope that our governments will start dedicating more time, energy, and resources to improving our public health systems.”

Bobby Boermans proceeded to shed light on the fact that he left the conversation open about whom the audience would like to side with in the film. iHostage is beyond a nail-biting thriller, as it taps into our sense of empathy and collective care as well. He said:

“And our capacity to support each other, even in the most challenging times. At the same time, I hope the film serves as a captivating thriller, keeping you on the edge of your seat while also touching you emotionally. I want the audience to experience both the intensity and the heart. Ultimately, it's up to the viewer to decide who they root for and how they interpret the depicted violence.”