It has been six months since the coronavirus shut down America back in March.
Six months of Americans struggling with finding jobs amid business closures, and six months of people being distanced from their friends and fellow citizens. It has also been six months since the production of new content from movie studios has been halted due to the pandemic.
Not only has production on future projects been delayed for several months, but the vast majority of blockbuster movies had been delayed several times with most not coming out until 2021 (Black Widow, Eternals, Fast 9, A Quiet Place 2). Yet, even through a worldwide pandemic and box office coma, Netflix continues to defy expectations and release large amounts of original content monthly.
Unlike traditional studios, Netflix acquires and films content several months ahead of the initial release date; this being done so they can space out their programming to better attract and satisfy subscribers. Netflix also spends more money on original content than most cable broadcasters and many Hollywood studios, with $17 billion in original spending for 2020 alone.
However, with the coronavirus shutting down America for many months, and studios delaying their biggest projects, Netflix is reaping the benefits of being able to offer up both a high quantity and quality of content to its 193 million global subscribers. Looking at the quantity aspect of Netflix, between April and September they released 334 new original shows and films, with no less than 45 being dropped in any month.
The quality of the content that releases on Netflix has long been a complaint by many people, although mainly from people who focus on films rather than the series that are released. While Netflix does drop some terrible films, it should be noted that they are more known for their critically acclaimed series, with quality films being a rather new achievement for the streaming site.
Over the months that the world has been fighting off this pandemic, Netflix has released numerous critically acclaimed original shows such as Outer Banks (April 15), The Last Kingdom (April 26), Dead to Me: Season 2 (May 8), The Order (June 18), The Umbrella Academy (July 31), Lucifer (August 21), Cobra Kai (August 28).
On top of the overwhelming amount of critically acclaimed original shows that it released, Netflix has also been able to beat the Coronavirus when it comes to films. While the box office has surrendered to the virus, Netflix has continuously achieved victory as it has released at least one spectacle a month.
In April, Netflix released Extraction, which starred Chris Hemsworth and gave audiences the pleasure to forget the outside world while watching a great action thriller. In May, with the theaters closed, Netflix acquired and released The Lovebirds which starred Kumail Numjiani in the lead role. The film showed that the streaming company was willing to help the studios impacted by theater closures.
June brought one of the late Chadwick Boseman’s last appearances to the streaming site in the Spike Lee film: Da 5 Bloods. This film combined action and heart to deliver audiences a racial message that felt needed in the atmosphere of 2020 America. July and August saw big-budget and star-studded action films drop with The Old Guard and Project Power releasing, respectively.
While each of the previous months had one big film drop amongst the numerous original shows, September saw the quality film section outdo the number of quality shows that were dropped. The three critically acclaimed films that dropped were: I’m Thinking of Ending Things, The Devil All The Time and Enola Holmes. Each of the three films represents a unique style and genre of filmmaking that gives all audiences the capability of seeing one thing that they prefer.
The unfathomable amount of content that Netflix has released over the last six months is one reason why they have added around 26 million new subscribers since the year began. So while coronavirus continues to ravage the movie industry, it is safe to assume that Netflix will continue to offer amazing viewing experiences, especially with October set to release highly anticipated programming like The Haunting of Bly Manor.
