Netflix has put a staggering US$135-billion — about R2.2-trillion — into films and TV series over the past decade, a figure that shows just how far streaming has moved from disruptor to global entertainment powerhouse. For South African viewers, the Netflix content spend is more than a headline number; it is a sign of the scale behind the shows we binge, the local productions we see on the service, and the fierce competition now shaping the future of television.
The Los Gatos-based company said on Tuesday that its spending over the past 10 years has helped generate more than US$325-billion in global economic activity and supported over 425 000 jobs on productions worldwide. That is a massive footprint for a business that only began as a DVD-by-mail service before becoming one of the most influential media platforms on the planet.
Netflix now counts more than 325 million paid members globally, according to its latest figures at the end of 2025. That puts the company in a category of its own, especially as audiences continue shifting away from traditional pay-TV and towards on-demand streaming, mobile viewing and binge-friendly original series.
The company’s latest disclosure is part of a broader push to show investors, governments and audiences that the platform is not just selling subscriptions — it is also feeding a much bigger creative economy. In practical terms, that means money flowing into writers, actors, directors, location crews, caterers, post-production teams, transport companies and the hundreds of smaller businesses that keep film and TV sets running.
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos framed the figures as part of what the company is calling the “Netflix Effect”. He said the project is meant to map the economic, cultural and social ripple effects of its films and series, and to show how those productions influence industries and everyday life across different markets.
For South African audiences, the message is familiar. Netflix has already shown that a story made in one part of the world can travel everywhere, especially when it connects with a universal theme or lands with the right cast and creative team. The global success of titles such as Money Heist, Squid Game and KPop Demon Hunters has only strengthened that argument.
One of the clearest shifts highlighted by Netflix is the rise of non-English content. The company said titles in languages other than English now account for more than a third of all viewing, up sharply from less than a tenth a decade ago. That is a crucial trend for a market like South Africa, where multilingual storytelling is the norm rather than the exception.
It also reflects a broader change in audience behaviour. Viewers are no longer limiting themselves to Hollywood fare, and streaming services are leaning into that reality by buying, licensing and funding content from outside the US at a far greater rate than before. Netflix said it has licensed films and series from more than 3 000 companies, including public broadcasters.
That detail matters because it shows how the streaming economy is no longer just about Netflix commissioning original content in California. It is also about the platform stitching together a global library of stories from many markets, many languages and many production cultures. In that sense, the Netflix Effect is as much about distribution power as it is about the size of the cheque book.
Netflix’s influence has not always been easy to measure, but the company is clearly trying to quantify it more aggressively now. The timing is also important. The group is facing slower sales growth while searching for new engines of expansion, including gaming and live entertainment, areas that could help keep subscribers engaged and investors interested.
That challenge helps explain why the company is putting so much emphasis on scale. The Netflix content spend is not just a bragging point; it is a signal that the company still sees premium entertainment as the core of its business model, even as the streaming market becomes more crowded and more expensive to defend.
Netflix content spend shows how streaming now shapes the global economy
For years, the conversation around Netflix was mainly about whether it could replace linear TV. That debate has now moved on. The real question is how streaming giants reshape labour markets, cultural exports and the economics of content production in every country they touch. Netflix’s own figures suggest the answer is: quite dramatically.
When a company says it has created 425 000 production jobs in a decade, it is pointing to a supply chain that goes well beyond actors on screen. Every international shoot needs local expertise, and every hit series creates knock-on work in the areas around it. That is why countries compete so hard to attract productions, incentives and post-production deals.
The rise of non-English hits has also changed the old assumption that global success requires American voices and American settings. Audiences are clearly comfortable watching Korean thrillers, Spanish heist dramas and animated music films that cross borders with ease. That opens the door for more regional stories, including from African creators, if the financing and discoverability are there.
Netflix has not detailed the South African share of this enormous spend in its latest statement, but the broader pattern matters locally. South Africa has long positioned itself as a film and television destination, with experienced crews, varied locations and a strong production base. A streaming market this large can be a major opportunity if local players can secure more commissions and co-productions.
At the same time, the company’s growth story is no longer uncontested. Rivals are pushing hard, consumers are more price-sensitive, and entertainment habits are fragmenting across short-form video, gaming and live events. That is part of why Netflix is looking beyond its traditional playbook while still leaning on its massive content engine.
Last month, Netflix co-founder and chairman Reed Hastings stepped away from the company, marking another notable shift in the leadership story of a business that helped define the streaming era. His exit came as Netflix searches for fresh sources of growth and tries to keep its edge in an increasingly crowded market.
Even so, the latest numbers make one thing clear: Netflix remains a global force, and its spending power continues to shape what gets made, where it gets made and how widely it travels. For South African viewers and creators alike, that influence is unlikely to fade anytime soon.