The Town with Matthew Belloni Is Netflix Spending its $18 Billion Content Budget Correctly?
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Mar 12, 2025 
Lucas Shaw, a Bloomberg reporter specializing in media and entertainment, joins to dissect Netflix's $18 billion content strategy. They dive into the success of mid-budget films over high-budget franchises and explore the potential of unscripted content like true crime and reality shows. The conversation highlights Netflix’s struggles with live events and considers innovative strategies, including podcasting and international shows. Shaw also touches on Amazon’s ambitious theatrical plans, revealing a competitive landscape of streaming and cinematic experiences.
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Mid-Budget Action Movies
- Netflix's mid-budget action movies are performing well, even surpassing big IP projects like "Beverly Hills Cop 4".
- This suggests that focusing on well-made, moderately budgeted action films could be a more efficient strategy than pursuing expensive blockbusters.
Content Mix and Licensing
- Netflix should maintain a consistent release schedule across genres, including action, rom-coms, tentpoles, and children's movies.
- Licensing big global projects instead of producing all of them in-house could be a more cost-effective approach.
Licensed Content Performance
- Licensed Hollywood titles perform strongly on Netflix, comprising a significant portion of the top 100 most-viewed movies.
- This highlights the potential value of licensing proven hits alongside original content.