Netflix won't be slowing down on producing new TV shows or movies any time soon. According to current projections, the company believes it'll spend somewhere in the region of $18 billion on its various endeavors in 2025 alone.
Spencer Neumann, Netflix's CFO, threw the figure out during a conversation at the 2025 Morgan Stanley Tech, Media & Telecom Conference. "We're not anywhere near a ceiling," he said, per Variety, adding: "I think we are still just getting started."
That figure marks an 11% increase on 2024, where the streaming service spent $16.2 billion across the board on developing and releasing projects. As obscene as these numbers are, they’re not surprising when you look at the talent the platform attracts.
This month alone Netflix is putting out The Electric State, the new movie from the Russo brothers starring Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt. Two of the three films Joe and Anthony Russo have directed since Avengers: Endgame have been handled by the streaming service, with The Gray Man, which commanded Netflix's largest budget up to that point at $200 million, preceding this latest feature.
Then you have the Extraction duology featuring Chris Hemsworth and Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon and Army of the Dead franchises. Wednesday, Bridgerton, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F; the list goes on and on. These are big names and properties with sizable price tags, and although there are plenty of misses, the company has a penchant for picking hits and defining the zeitgeist.
Virgin River, Baby Reindeer, Stranger Things, and dozens more justify themselves incredibly easily. This is all without looking at the documentaries, K-drama or anime sides, where Netflix has proven quite savvy indeed. Speaking on the service's curation, Neumann puts the formula down to "a little art and a little science," stating that the internal predictions are usually pretty close to reality.
Comments like these can leave a bitter taste in the mouth in light of the amount of cancelled TV shows which lay at Netflix’s feet. The Recruit was suddenly cut after two seasons mere days ago, despite holding its own on the platform’s charts. What counts as worthwhile seems slightly inscrutable.
Expect more of the same in the coming years, too. "We want to stay in growth mode versus maintenance mode as long as possible," Neumann comments.
There's plenty more in the pipeline once Wednesday season 2, Stranger Things season 5, and Squid Game season 3 arrive, then. Have a look through our lists of the best Netflix movies and best Netflix shows for any gems you might have overlooked.
