Netflix Admits To Making Too Many Bad Movies

Scott Stuber, head of Netflix’s film division, gave reasoning for this, saying that the streamer “needed volume” to compete with major studios.

He admitted, “We’re a machine that was built to go, go, go, and that doesn’t always result in quality (via Tech Radar).”

To course correct this quantity-over-quality approach, Netflix is set to significantly reduce its output of original films in the coming years. Stuber revealed that the streaming service will be releasing closer to 25 to 30 movies per year, which almost halves the current output.

This seems like a good strategy, as it will allow the movies released to have some time to breathe and give viewers a chance to watch more of the movies instead of having the typical choice paralysis that comes with picking a movie to watch.

For viewers, it’s no secret that Netflix should have started doing this a long time ago. While the strategy has led to beautiful, acclaimed films like Roma, you get three or four mediocre to bad films for every great one.

As Stuber says, “A lot of streaming companies made the mistake of moving so fast that we made a lot of things that weren’t ready to be produced.”

It makes sense that rushing the film production process would inevitably lead to some negative results, but the ratio of good to bad films released by the streamer has definitely had a noticeable shift in recent years.

In a time where more streaming services are vying for the attention (and dollars) of consumers, it does make sense that you would want to offer something that sets you apart from other services.

However, if your offerings are a bunch of films that aren’t really worth watching, that just wastes time for both the consumer and the company.

Hopefully, this shift in programming means we see more films like The Power of the Dog, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, The Irishman, and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery rather than forgettable films that make viewers feel like they waste their time.

Netflix’s previous strategy also led to massive hits like Red Notice, The Mother, Extraction, Bird Box, and The Gray Man that weren’t necessarily critical darlings.

While pumping out a bunch of movies may be wasteful to a point, it likely did give the company some insight into what resonates with its subscribers.

Focusing on what works means that the streamer could have the best of both worlds – spending less money on films and getting more attention for each film it releases.

It does make sense that Netflix wanted to expand its catalog and try to get as many people watching its original films as possible, especially after seeing huge viewership numbers for films like the aforementioned Red Notice. However, it’s nice to hear that they’ll be stepping back and trying to up the quality.

At the very least, it’ll keep viewers from being overwhelmed with a new movie coming out every week.