With nearly 150 million subscribers around the world, Netflix has a commanding lead in the streaming wars. But it’s also facing heavy competition from deep-pocketed conglomerates like Disney, Apple, and AT&T, and an ongoing wave of narrow, targeted streaming sites like CBS All Access and DC Universe, which can draw on popular existing franchises for original content. As fewer companies are willing to license out their films and shows to other streaming sites, Netflix is pouring billions of dollars annually into its own original content. Follow along with The Verge as we look at Netflix’s new films and shows, its evolving strategies against new entrants in the market, and how it’s leveraging its technological and marketing lead.
Despite reports that Netflix’s animated Magic: The Gathering series might have been on the chopping block, the streamer announced during this year’s Geeked Week that the project is still in production with showrunner Terry Matalas at the helm.
That seems to be the premise behind the mobile game spinoff Squid Game: Unleashed, which is “a 32-player party royale showdown featuring challenges fans will recognize from the hit series.” It’ll be available for subscribers later this year.
We have no idea what it is or what it will look like, but the streamer has confirmed that it’s working with CD Projekt Red on some kind of follow up to the excellent anime Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. “More info coming soon,” Netflix says.
It’s a video game! Netflix is expanding Zack Snyder’s sci-fi opus with a mobile title called Blood Line. It’s described as an “online co-operative action game takes on the role of a rebel, picking between a variety of classes to join a covert rebellion that’s fighting to take back their planet from the tyrannical Motherworld.” It’s launching in 2025.
It’s not the trailer fans were probably hoping for, but Netflix did at least release (another) behind the scenes clip for the upcoming fifth and final season of Stranger Things. The long wait continues.
Netflix’s Geeked Week has been pretty quiet so far, but that’s likely to change during a live event tonight. The main show starts at 8PM ET (there’s a pre-show happening at 7:30PM ET), and you can follow along with the biggest announcements right here. Expect the big names like Squid Game and Arcane to make appearances.
As promised, the first entry in the gorgeous puzzle game series is available for subscribers today on both iOS and Android. And there’s more coming: Monument Valley 2 hits the service on October 29th, while the recently announced third game will be a Netflix exclusive when it launches on December 10th.
Starting 5, which focuses on Jimmy Butler, Anthony Edwards, LeBron James, Domantas Sabonis, and Jayson Tatum, hits Netflix on October 9th.
Woman of the Hour — Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut inspired by serial killer Rodney Alcala’s 1978 appearance on The Dating Game — was one of the most intriguing films to premiere at TIFF in 2023. And it’s finally making its way to Netflix on October 18th.
The Remarkable Life of Ibelin was one of my favorite movies at Sundance this year. It’s a doc that tells the story of a tragically short life, and the film largely takes place inside World of Warcraft. You can watch it for yourself on Netflix on October 25th.
Ezra Edelman, who directed the Oscar-winning masterpiece O.J.: Made in America, has been working on an expansive nine-hour film about Prince. But as the New York Times Magazine reports, the artist’s estate is attempting to block its release, which they worry will tarnish the reputation of Paisley Park.
We might not have a doc to watch, but in the meantime, Sasha Weiss’s story has many details from the film and incredible material about Edelman’s editing process.
[The New York Times Magazine]
With its second (and final) season set to be released sometime this November, the new trailer dives deeper into the escalating conflict between the cities of Piltover and Zaun, and the sisters Vi and Jinx fighting on either side.
It also introduces Ashnikko’s new single “Paint The Town Blue,” which will feature on the show’s soundtrack.
Netflix’s culinary series is returning in a major way, with three new shows: a spinoff all about noodles streams on October 2nd, season 7 premieres on November 27th, and another spinoff about legendary chefs will kick off next year. Just make sure you don’t watch on an empty stomach.
Netflix’s now-annual Geeked Week kicks off on September 16th, and this new trailer gives an idea of what will be there. Which is to say, expect the hits, like Arcane, Avatar, and Squid Game.
Netflix is about to look back at the history of WWE co-founder Vince McMahon with a six-episode series premiering September 25th. Just after Netflix signed a 10-year $5 billion dollar deal with WWE in January, McMahon was accused of sex trafficking and abuse and resigned as executive chairman of its parent company, TKO.
The series covers McMahon’s transformation of WWE from a small, regional business into a global entertainment powerhouse, and the explosive sexual misconduct allegations that led to his eventual resignation.
Rather than celebrating the ten year anniversary of BoJack Horseman’s premiere by bringing the show back, Netflix has greenlit a new animated series from Raphael Bob-Waksberg that will feature art from Lisa Hanawalt.
At Opening Night Live 2024, Netflix showed off a trailer of Squid Game: Unleashed, the upcoming Squid Game mobile title. The trailer makes the game look kind of silly, which feels at odds with the themes of the actual show.
The game is set to release later this year. The show’s second season is coming soon, too, on December 26th.
The somber Studio Ghibli film, which follows two young siblings navigating a post-WWII Japan, arrives on Netflix on September 16th.
Though there will be plenty of treasure hunting in Netflix’s Tomb Raider animated series, its latest trailer puts the focus on big action set pieces and Lara Croft’s brawling chops.
Mortals will die in Netflix’s Kaos as the greek gods lash out at humanity for their lack of faith, but the series’ latest trailer kinda makes hades look more like a monochromatic drag than a tortuous hellscape.
Following up on its surprise Godzilla Minus One drop earlier this summer, Netflix is now streaming the film’s moody black and white cut as well.
The anime Terminator Zero hits Netflix next month as part of a busy summer of streaming sci-fi. Now we have our first full trailer for the series, which takes place in 1997 just as the Skynet AI becomes self-aware. If nothing else, the new clip will likely get the Smashing Pumpkins stuck in your head.
Just in time for the summer Olympics, Netflix has launched a multiplayer athletics competition with the very on-the-nose title of Sports Sports. It’s available on mobile now (so long as you have a Netflix subscription, of course).
The game’s deceptively complicated puzzles will make you love every second as you lose track of time.
Netflix has been so quiet about its Bioshock film adaptation that it almost seemed as if the project might have been put on the back burner. But during a panel at this year’s SDCC, producer Roy Lee assured fans that, while Netflix has “reconfigured” the movie to be smaller and more personal, it’s still very much in the works.
Ahead of a new batch of Pokémon Horizons episodes debuting on August 9th, Netflix has dropped a new trailer for San Diego Comic-Con teasing just how much more intense the series’ battles are about to get.
