Netflix is doing big business during this pandemic.
The service announced yesterday during an earnings call that it added 15.8 million new subscribers in the first three months of 2020 – well above the projected 7 million new subscribers they were expecting before COVID-19 shut down the much of the world. The additions bring up their subscriber base to a global total of 183 million.
What they’re showing has also been a hit. “Tiger King” was reportedly watched by 64 million households worldwide over its first month of release, Spanish series “Money Heist” has been seen by 65 million households since April 3rd, the new season of “Ozark” was seen by 29 million, and dating series “Love is Blind” has been sampled by some 30 million member households. Additionally the Mark Wahlberg-led “Spenser Confidential” film has reportedly been seen by 85 million households since it bowed on March 6.
Netflix CEO Reed Hastings however wasn’t celebratory or bullish in a recent investor letter and Q1 earnings report, instead offering sober thoughts saying that higher viewing and increased membership growth is likely temporary and will change once people start going back to work.
Netflix has become one of the few outlets churning out new content as cinemas remain closed and broadcast television is suffering a lack of new content. This week they acquired two planned theatrical releases, “The Lovebirds” and “Enola Holmes,” with plans to distribute them in coming weeks.
Netflix has also made clear it has a bunch content stored up to last well into the Fall of this year and so won’t slow down on unleashing new content for months.
Source: Collider
