Netflix Rules Over International Content in Hollywood, and It’s Only Getting Bigger

Available to WrapPRO members

The streamer known for South Korea’s “Squid Game” has been investing in overseas content for more than a decade, but “Narcos” set the stage

Netflix co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters have charted the streaming company's dominant international strategy. (Chris Smith)

In 2015, a crime drama about the rise of international drug cartels, filmed in Colombia in both English and Spanish and starring Brazilian actor Wagner Moura as Pablo Escobar, seemed like a risky play for Netflix, which had only started producing original content four years earlier.

But despite the bilingual dialogue — and a mishmash of local accents that were ridiculed by Colombians — “Narcos,” with an estimated budget of $25 million, turned into a critical hit and became a cornerstone in an emerging global strategy that has made Netflix the undisputed leader overseas, both in original productions and subscribers. 

While its rivals, including Disney and Warner Bros.

Comments