Netflix Leak Revealed How Much They Made On Their Biggest Show And It’s Shocking
What is a hit show worth to Netflix? A shocking leak reveals staggering numbers.
This article is more than 2 years old
Hwang Dong-hyuk, the creator of Netflix’s new hit series Squid Game, told Variety last month that he wanted to create a series about capitalism and the effects of the wealth gap on everyday people. To the surprise of everyone involved, the first season of the Korean drama has become the biggest show ever on Netflix. So how much money does the streaming service really make from a hit like that? Normally, this isn’t something anyone has answers for. Now, following a shocking Netflix leak, audiences have learned what Netflix has earned on Squid Game and how much they paid to make the show. The numbers are shocking. While the streaming service has declined to comment on the numbers reported, Bloomberg claims a lawyer for Netflix did attempt to dissuade the outlet from sharing the numbers, saying that it was “inappropriate”. But share them Bloomberg has. According to their report of the Netflix leak, the streaming service paid $21.4 million to buy Squid Game. They’ve earned $891 million.
It’s worth looking at how Netflix came up with that number. For one thing, it’s important to note that only the streaming service itself measures their own viewership data, which is something they use when calculating their own show’s value. According to the Netflix leak report, they then create a number based on “impact value”. Based on subscriber viewing, which includes the number of people watching and how long they watch for, they calculate how much a show was worth to the streaming service.
These numbers from the Netflix leak reveal that the streaming service has put the value of Squid Game at more than 40 times what they paid for it. As the show’s creator is currently in talks with Netflix for Squid Game season two and possible spinoff shows, hopefully, they can use this information to secure them a much higher payout this time around for their work. With this information made public, it’s certainly something that both Netflix and the show’s creator, Hwang Dong-hyuk, may be asked about in the future.
Reports have suggested that the streaming service has already fired an employee they claim is responsible for the Netflix leak. Reportedly, this employee is one of the trans employees planning a walkout at the streaming service. It’s been reported that one of the reasons behind the leak is that the employee wanted audiences to see what the streaming service paid for Squid Game versus The Closer, a controversial stand-up special from comedian Dave Chappelle.
The Closer is allegedly a transphobic special. It has caused a great deal of controversy both online and inside the company as employees reportedly brought up issues with the special before it was streamed. According to the Netflix leak, the streaming service paid $21.4 million for season one of Squid Game, which has become their biggest show ever and earned them $891 million in impact value. Meanwhile, they reportedly paid $24.1 million for the Dave Chappelle standup special, meaning they paid nearly $3 million more than they did for the nine episodes of Squid Game.
For now, it can’t be said that the Netflix leak reveals all of the relevant information or that it is entirely accurate. However, Bloomberg is a respected outlet, and the firing of the employee responsible has been widely reported. It seems as though Squid Game has been an even bigger earner for the streaming service than anyone knew.
