Netflix has released The Netflix Effect, a global report examining the economic, cultural, and social impact of its films and series worldwide.
The report includes an Australian highlight: Boy Swallows Universe contributed more than A$45 million to the Australian economy.
The production took place across 67 locations in South East Queensland and hired more than 1,000 extras. Tourism Queensland also launched a Discover Brisbane through Boy Swallows Universe tour shortly after the series was released.
Boy Swallows Universe
Netflix’s local-to-global strategy
In a blog accompanying the report, Netflix’s big boss (co-CEO) Ted Sarandos said the company’s global strategy has always been built on local production.
“Ten years ago, Netflix went from entertaining audiences in about 60 countries to more than 190 in a single day. We said we were ‘looking forward to bringing great stories from all over the world to people all over the world.’”
“At the time, there were plenty of headlines about how Netflix was going global. But we knew, even back then, that the best way to be global was to start off intensely local.”
Sarandos said Netflix now produces shows and movies in more than 4,500 cities and towns across more than 50 countries.
Global investment and jobs
According to Sarandos, Netflix has invested more than US$135 billion in films and series over the past decade, contributing more than US$325 billion to the global economy.
The company said it has created more than 425,000 jobs through its productions alone.
“But what really matters are the people behind those numbers – the writers, directors, carpenters and electricians, the small business owners and community members and of course, the fans who make everything possible,” Sarandos said.
Viewing beyond borders
The report also points to the increasingly global nature of Netflix viewing.
In 2025, 70% of Netflix viewing came from members watching titles from countries other than their own.
A decade ago, non-English-language series and films accounted for less than a tenth of total viewing on Netflix. Today, they account for more than a third.
Netflix said roughly 80% of its members have watched Korean content. In its first three days on the platform, Squid Game Season 3 drew more than 60 million views and reached number one on the non-English TV list in 93 countries.
Licensed content’s second life
The report also highlights the role of licensed content on Netflix.
More than three-quarters of titles on Netflix are licensed from creative partners around the world.
Over the past decade, Netflix said it has licensed films and series from more than 3,000 companies, including public broadcasters.
Australian series Love on the Spectrum is one example cited in the report. After premiering on the ABC in 2019, it landed on Netflix in 2020 and built an international audience.
Love on the Spectrum
Building on that success, Netflix commissioned Love on the Spectrum US in 2022, which is now in its fourth season.
The report said the show delivered a step change in scale and visibility for production company Northern Pictures, which became the most awarded Australian company at the Primetime Emmy Awards.
Cultural impact beyond the screen
Sarandos said Netflix titles also shape what people read, buy, listen to, eat, wear and play.
He cited examples such as K-pop Demon Hunters, which became Netflix’s most popular original film of all time and sparked a broader cultural wave.
K-pop Demon Hunters
“When KPop Demon Hunters came out, for example, it became our most-popular original film of all time. But it also created a cultural wave,” Sarandos said.
The company said Golden earned the first Grammy for a K-pop track, while the film won two Academy Awards. Duolingo also reported a 22% rise in the number of Americans studying Korean, and flight bookings to South Korea increased by 25%.
Netflix says it will keep investing
Sarandos said Netflix will continue investing in content, production facilities and training programs as the entertainment industry changes.
The company said its training programs have reached more than 90,000 people across more than 75 countries.
“These days, the entertainment business is changing even faster than when we started – which is why, as we look ahead to the next decade, we’ll keep investing in the relationships we’ve built with the creators we work with, the communities we depend on and the fans who love to watch,” Sarandos said.
“To me, that’s what the Netflix Effect is all about. And while I’m proud of everything we’ve done together, I’m even more excited about what comes next.”
Top image: The Netflix Effect