Netflix is spending tens of billions on international content

Over three years after the first season debuted, we’re now just over one week out from the follow-up to Netflix’s ultra-popular “Squid Game” series.

While the runaway success of “Squid Game” puts the series in a league of its own — having spawned a spin-off game show, helped MrBeast become the biggest YouTuber of all time, and played a pivotal role in the booming wave of Korean cultural exports — it’s not the only non-English show to make a splash, as Netflix continues to look beyond North America.

According to Ampere Analysis data cited by Variety, the streamer spent $7.1 billion on international content in 2024, up 7x in just seven years, a clear sign of just how deeply Netflix’s focus has shifted toward making content for local audiences overseas that can be also be exported globally with subtitles or dubbed audio. The bet has paid off handsomely, too, as Reed Hastings’ company extends its lead over competitors like Disney+ and adds subscribers in every region.

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